noon
They had seen thin lines and the roads behind us empty of supports . They would see , as they advanced , the blue columns of the French coming up from the south-west , and they would return and tell the enemy that a blow now would open the road to Amiens and the sea . He had plenty of strength for it , and presently he would have overwhelming strength . It only needed a spear-point to burst the jerry-built dam and let the flood through ... They would return in twenty minutes , and by noon we would be broken . Unless -- unless the miracle of miracles happened , and they never returned . Archie reported that his skipper would do his damnedest and that our machines were now going up . ` We 've a chance , sir , ' he said , ` a good sportin ' chance . '