a couple of hours after midnight
This game was proving as much of an imitation of war as many of them wanted to see . They had come out expecting a restful , pleasant vacation , with the thrill of a war game as an additional incentive for them to turn out , but they were finding that it closely resembled hard work -- the sort of work they got too little of in their crowded days of office routine . Later they would enjoy the recollection of it , but while they were doing it there was a good deal of roughing that was n't so pleasant . A late moon made the countryside brilliant , and easy to cover with the eye , and when , a couple of hours after midnight , the roll of rifle firing in the distance , coming like light thunder , awoke the Scouts , who were sleeping three in a room , many of them rushed to their windows . Jack Danby shared a room with Pete Stubbs and Tom Binns , his particular chums , and he laughed at them . `` What are you looking for , powder smoke ? '' he asked them .