Part 3, Chapter 1 Summary

The reconnaissance party sets out under the command Hearn, who is surprised and delighted to have been moved from Cummings' staff. He starts getting to know the men, whom he sees as a forbidding and rigid group, their faces hard and cold, and sallow, pocked with jungle sores. He realizes his relationship with Croft will be difficult, as he is senior to Croft, but Croft knows more than he does. He sees that all the veterans look older than their actual age, and that although Martinez is more sensitive than the other men are, he is a good soldier. Hearn ponders Cummings' reason for putting him in command of the patrol, knowing that it is what Hearn would want. He knows that Cummings hates him, but he cannot imagine the General being prepared to send a platoon on a mission for...