When I woke up, the first thing I did was look at my watch and sit bolt upright in bed. It was already half past one! What a snore I had! Although I had reason to be tired yesterday, our detachment had marched through the forest all night. I was rightfully proud of my accomplishments – using a compass and map, I had managed to correctly guide the detachment through the marshy forest at night to the village of Teshilovo, twelve kilometers west of Khotkovo. We reached the village at four in the morning and, after a quick inspection of the nearby houses and finding no inhabitants, stopped to rest and sleep.
I threw off the blanket and looked around. Romka, who had been made up in the next room, had already run off somewhere. From the street, I could hear the cheerful voices of girls and the
