.

IN PERIL.
He made no sign; the fires of Hell were round him, The Pit of Hell below.
"About as bad as they can be, sir.

That's how things is." Joseph set down his master's breakfast on the rough table that stood in front of his tent and looked at Jack Meredith.
Meredith had a way of performing most of his toilet outside his tent, and while Joseph made his discouraging report he was engaged in buttoning his waistcoat.

He nodded gravely, but his manner was not that of a man who fully realised his position of imminent danger.

Some men are like this--they die without getting at all flustered.
"There's not more nor two or three out of the whole lot that I can put any trust in," continued Joseph.
Jack Meredith was putting on his coat.
"I know what a barrack-room mutiny is.