The Young Buglers

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER III.

  ENLISTED.

  It was a bright moonlight night when the boys, after a sad farewellfrom Rhoda, let themselves down from the window, and started upontheir journey. Each carried a bundle on a stick; each bundle containeda suit of clothes, a few shirts and stockings, a pair of shoes, and apistol. The other pistols were carried loaded inside their jackets,for there was no saying whom they might meet upon the road. They hadput on the oldest suit of clothes they possessed, so as to attract aslittle attention as possible by the way. After they had once recoveredfrom their parting with Rhoda their spirits rose, and they trampedalong lightly and cheerfully. It was eleven o'clock when they started,and through the night they did not meet a single person. Towardsmorning they got under a haystack near the road, and slept for somehours; then they walked steadily on until they had done twenty milessince their start. They went into a small inn, and had some breakfast,and then purchasing some bread and cold ham, went on through the town,and leaving the London road, followed that leading to Portsmouth, andafter a mile or two again took up their quarters until evening, in ahaystack.

  It is not necessary to give the details of the journey to Portsmouth.After the first two days' tramp, having no longer any fear of thepursuit, which, no doubt, had been made for them when first missed,they walked by day, and slept at night in sheds, or under haystacks,as they were afraid of being questioned and perhaps stopped at inns.They walked only short distances now, for the first night's longjourney had galled their feet, and, as Tom said, they were not pressedfor time, and did not want to arrive at Portsmouth like two limpingtramps. Walking, therefore, only twelve miles a day after the firsttwo days, they arrived at Portsmouth fresh and in high spirits.They had met with no adventures upon the road, except that upon oneoccasion two tramps had attempted to seize their bundles, but theproduction of the pistols, and the evident determination of the boysto use them if necessary, made the men abandon their intention andmake off, with much bad language and many threats, at which the boyslaughed disdainfully.

  Arrived at Portsmouth, their first care was to find a quiet littleinn, where they could put up. This they had little difficulty indoing, for Portsmouth abounded with public-houses, and people were somuch accustomed to young fellows tramping in with their bundles, tojoin their ships, that their appearance excited no curiosity whatever.Tom looked older than he really was, although not tall for his age,while Peter, if anything, overtopped his brother, but was slighter,and looked fully two years younger. Refreshed by a long night's sleepbetween sheets, they started out after breakfast to see the town, andwere greatly impressed and delighted by the bustle of the streets,full of soldiers and sailors, and still more by the fortifications andthe numerous ships of war lying in the harbor, or out at Spithead.A large fleet of merchantmen was lying off at anchor, waiting for aconvoy, and a perfect fleet of little wherries was plying backwardsand forwards between the vessels and the shore.

  "It makes one almost wish to be a sailor," Peter said, as they satupon the Southsea beach, and looked out at the animated ocean.

  "It does, Peter; and if it had been ten years back, instead of atpresent, I should have been ready enough to change our plans. But whatis the use of going to sea now? The French and Spanish navies skulk inharbor, and the first time our fellows get them out they will he sureto smash them altogether, and then there is an end to all fighting.No, Peter, it looks tempting, I grant, but we shall see ten times asmuch with the army. We must go and settle the thing to-morrow. Thereis no time to be lost if the expedition starts in a fortnight or threeweeks."

  Returning into the town, the boys were greatly amused at seeing asailor's wedding. Four carriages and pair drove along; inside werewomen, while four sailors sat on each roof, waving their hats to thepassers-by, and refreshing themselves by repeated pulls at some blackbottles, with which they were well supplied. Making inquiries, theboys found that the men belonged to a fine frigate which had come in aday or two before, with several prizes.

  The next morning they went down to the barracks. Severalnon-commissioned officers, with bunches of gay ribbons in their caps,were standing about. Outside the gates were some boards, with notices,"Active young fellows required. Good pay, plenty of prize-money, andchances, of promotion!"

  The boys read several of these notices, which differed only from eachother in the name of the regiment; and then Tom gave an exclamation ofsatisfaction as he glanced at a note at the foot of one of them, "Twoor three active lads wanted as buglers."

  "There we are, Peter; and, oh, what luck! it is Uncle Peter'sregiment! Look here, Peter," he said, after a pause, "we won't sayanything about being his nephews, unless there is no other way ofgetting taken; for if we do it won't be nice. We shall be taken noticeof, and not treated like other fellows, and that will cause all sortsof ill-feeling and jealousy, and rows. It will be quite time to saywho we are when we have done something to show that we shan't dodiscredit to him. You see it isn't much in our favor that we are hereas two runaway boys. If we were older we could go as volunteers, butof course we are too young for that."

  It should be mentioned that in those days it was by no means unusualfor young men who had not sufficient interest to get commissions toobtain permission to accompany a regiment as volunteers. They paidtheir own expenses, and lived with the officers, but did duty asprivate soldiers. If they distinguished themselves, they obtainedcommissions to fill up vacancies caused in action.

  "There is our sergeant, Tom; let's get it over at once."

  "If you please," Tom said, as they went up to the sergeant, "are youthe recruiting sergeant of the Norfolk Rangers?"

  "By Jove, Summers, you are in luck to-day," laughed one of the othersergeants; "here are two valuable recruits for the Rangers. TheMounseers will have no chance with the regiment with such giants asthose in it. Come, my fine fellows, let me persuade you to join the15th. Such little bantams as you are would be thrown away upon theRangers."

  There was a shout of laughter from the other non-commissionedofficers.

  Tom was too much accustomed to chaffing bargees at Eton to be put outof countenance.

  "We may be bantams," he said, "but I have seen a bantam lick a bigdunghill cock many a time. Fine feathers don't always make fine birds,my man."

  "Well answered, young one," the sergeant of the Rangers said, whilethere was a general laugh among the others, for the sergeant of the15th was not a favorite.

  "You think yourself sharp, youngster," he said angrily. "You want alicking, you do; and if you were in the 15th, you'd get it prettyquickly."

  "Oh! I beg your pardon," Tom said gravely; "I did not know that the15th were famous for thrashing boys. Thank you; when I enlist it shallbe in a regiment where men hit fellows their own size."

  There was a shout of laughter, and the sergeant, enraged, steppedforward, and gave Tom a swinging box on the ear.

  There was a cry of "shame" from the others; but before any of themcould interfere, Tom suddenly stooped, caught the sergeant by thebottom of the trousers, and in an instant he fell on his back with acrash.

  For a moment he was slightly stunned, and then, regaining his feet, hewas about to rush at Tom, when the others threw themselves in betweenthem, and said he should not touch the boy. He struck him first, andthe boy had only given him what served him right.

  The sergeant was furious, and an angry quarrel was going on, when anofficer of the Rangers came suddenly out of barrack.

  "Hullo, Summers, what is all this about? I am surprised at you. A lotof non-commissioned officers, just in front of the barrack gates,quarreling like drunken sailors in a pothouse. What does it all mean?"

  "The fact is this, Captain Manley," the sergeant said, saluting,"these two lads came up to speak to me, when Sergeant Billow chaffedthem. The lad gave the sergeant as good as he got, and the sergeantlost his temper, and hit him a box on the ear, and in a moment theyoung one tripped him up, and pretty nigh stunned him; when he got uphe was going at the boy, and, of course, we wouldn'
t have it."

  "Quite right," Captain Manley said. "Sergeant Billow, I shall forwarda report to your regiment. Chaffing people in the street, and thenlosing your temper, striking a boy, and causing a disturbance. Now,sergeant," he went on, as the others moved away, "do you know thoseboys?"

  "No, sir; they are strangers to me."

  "Do you want to see the sergeant privately, lads, or on somethingconnected with the regiment?"

  "I see that you have vacancies for buglers, sir," Tom said, "and mybrother and myself want to enlist if you will take us."

  Captain Manley smiled. "You young scamps, you have got 'runaway fromhome' as plainly on your faces as if it was printed there. If wewere to enlist you, we should be having your friends here after youto-morrow, and get into a scrape for taking you."

  "We have no friends who will interfere with us, sir, I can give you myword of honor as a gentleman." Captain Manley laughed. "I mean," Tomsaid confused, "my word of honor, as--as an intending bugler."

  "Indeed we have no one to interfere with us in any way, sir," Peterput in earnestly. "We wouldn't tell a lie even to enlist in theRangers."

  Captain Manley was struck by the earnestness of the boys' faces, andafter a pause he said to the sergeant,--

  "That will do, Summers; I will take these lads up to my quarters andspeak to them."

  Then, motioning to the boys to follow him, he re-entered the barracks,and led the way up to his quarters.

  "Sit down," he said, when they had entered his room. "Now, boys, thisis a foolish freak upon your part, which you will regret some day. Ofcourse you have run away from school."

  "No, sir, we have run away from home," Tom said.

  "So much the worse," Captain Manley said gravely. "Tell me frankly,why did you do so? No unkindness at home can excuse boys from runningaway from their parents."

  "We have none, sir," Tom said. "We have lost them both--our mothermany years ago, our father six months. Our only living relation,except a younger sister, is an aunt, who considers us as nuisances,and who, although meaning to do her duty, simply drives us out of ourminds."

  Captain Manley could not resist a smile. "Do you not go to school?"

  "We did go to a school near, but unfortunately it is broken up."

  Captain Manley caught a little look of amusement between the boys. "Ishould not be surprised if you had something to do with its breakingup," he said with a laugh. "But to return to your coming here. Thereis certainly less reason against your joining than I thought at first,but you are too young."

  "We are both strong, and are good walkers," Tom said.

  "But you cannot be much over fifteen," Captain Manley said, "and yourbrother is younger."

  "We are accustomed to strong exercise, sir, and can thrash mostfellows of our own size."

  "Very likely," Captain Manley said, "but we can't take that intoconsideration. You are certainly young for buglers for service work;however, I will go across with you to the orderly-room, and hear whatthe colonel says."

  Crossing the barrack-yard, they found the colonel was in anddisengaged.

  "Colonel Tritton," Captain Manley said, "these lads want to enlist asbuglers."

  The colonel looked up and smiled. "They look regular young pickles,"he said. "I suppose they have run away from school."

  "Not from school, colonel. They have lost both parents, and live withan aunt, with whom they don't get on well. There does not seem to bemuch chance of their being claimed."

  "You are full young," the colonel said, "and I think you will besorry, boys, for the step you want to take."

  "I don't think so, sir," Tom said.

  "Of course, you don't at present," the colonel said. "However, that isyour business. Mind, you will have a rough time of it; you will haveto fight your way, you know."

  "I'll back them to hold their own," Captain Manley said, laughing."When I went out at the barrack-gate just now there was a row among alot of recruiting sergeants, and when I went up to put a stop to it, Ifound that a fellow of the 15th had chaffed these boys when they wentup to speak to Summers, and that they had got the best of it in thatline; and the fellow having lost his temper and struck one of them, hefound himself on his back on the pavement. The boy had tripped him upin an instant."

  The colonel laughed, and then said suddenly and sharply to Peter,"Where did you learn that trick, youngster?"

  "At Eton," Peter answered promptly, and then colored up hotly at hisbrother's reproachful glance.

  "Oh, ho! At Eton, young gentlemen, eh!" the colonel said. "Thatalters the matter. If you were at Eton your family must be people ofproperty, and I can't let you do such a foolish thing as enlist asbuglers."

  "Our father lost all his money suddenly, owing to a blackguard hetrusted cheating him. He found it out, and it killed him," Tom saidquietly.

  The colonel saw he was speaking the truth. "Well, well," he saidkindly, "we must see what we can do for you, boys. They are young,Manley, but that will improve, and by the time that they have been ayear at the depot--"

  "Oh, if you please, colonel," Tom said, "we want to go on foreignservice, and it's knowing that your regiment was under orders forforeign service we came to it."

  "Impossible!" the colonel said shortly.

  "I am very sorry for that, sir," Tom said respectfully, "for we wouldrather belong to this regiment than any in the service; but if youwill not let us go with it we must try another."

  "Why would you rather belong to us than to any other?" the colonelasked, as the boys turned to leave the room.

  "I had rather not say, sir," Tom said. "We have a reason, and a verygood one, but it is not one we should like to tell."

  The colonel was silent for a minute. He was struck with the boys'appearance and manner, and was sorry at the thought of losing them,partly from interest in themselves, partly because the sea service wasgenerally so much more attractive to boys, that it was not easy to getthem to enlist as buglers and drummers.

  "You see, lads, I should really like to take you, but we shall bestarting in a fortnight, and it would be altogether impossible for youto learn to sound the bugle, to say nothing of learning the calls, bythat time."

  "We can't play well, sir," Tom answered, his spirits rising again,"but we have practiced for some time, and know a good many of thecalls."

  "Oh, indeed!" the colonel said, pleased; "that alters the case. Well,lads, I should like to take you with the regiment, for you lookstraightforward, sharp young fellows. So I will enlist you. Work hardfor the next fortnight, and if I hear a favorable report of you bythat time, you shall go."

  "Thank you very much," the boys said warmly, delighted to find theirhopes realized.

  "What are your names?" the colonel asked.

  "Tom and Peter," Tom answered.

  "Tom and Peter what?" the colonel said.

  The boys looked at each other. The fact that they would of coursebe asked their names had never occurred to them, and they not hadtherefore consulted whether to give their own or another name.

  "Come, boys," Colonel Tritton said good-temperedly, "never be ashamedof your names; don't sail under false colors, lads. I am sure you willdo nothing to disgrace your names."

  Tom looked at Peter, and saw that he agreed to give their real names,so he said, "Tom and Peter Scudamore."

  "Peter Scudamore! Why, Manley, these boys must be relations of thedear old colonel. That explains why they chose the regiment. Now,boys, what relation was he of yours?"

  "I do not admit that he was a relation at all, colonel," Tom saidgravely, "and I hope that you will not ask the question. Supposingthat he had been a relation of ours, we should not wish it to beknown. In the first place, it would not be altogether creditable tohis memory that relations of his should be serving as buglers inhis old regiment; and in the second place, it might be that, froma kindness towards him, some of the officers might, perhaps, treatus differently to other boys, which would make our position moredifficult by exciting jealousy among others. Should there be a
nyrelation between him and us, it will be time enough for us to claimit when we have shown ourselves worthy of it."

  "Well said, boys," the officers both exclaimed. "You are quite right,"the colonel went on, "and I respect your motive for keeping silence.What you say about jealousy which might arise is very sensible andtrue. At the same time, I will promise you that I will keep my eyeupon you, and that if an opportunity should occur in which I can giveyou a chance of showing that there is more in you than in other boys,be sure you shall have the chance."

  "Thank you very much indeed, colonel," both boys exclaimed.

  "Now, Manley, I shall be obliged if you will take them to theadjutant, and tell him to swear them in and attest them in regularform; the surgeon will, of course, examine them. Please tell thequartermaster to get their uniforms made without loss of time; andgive a hint to the bugle-major that I should be pleased if he will payextra attention to them, and push them on as fast as possible."

  Captain Manley carried out these instructions, the boys were dulyexamined by the surgeon and passed, and in half an hour became HisMajesty's servants.

  "Now, boys," Captain Manley said as he crossed with them to thequarters of the bandmaster, "you will have rather a difficult courseto steer, but I have no doubt you will get through it with credit.This is something like a school, and you will have to fight before youfind your place. Don't be in a hurry to begin; take all good-naturedchaff good-naturedly; resent any attempt at bullying. I have no doubtyou will be popular, and it is well that you should be so, for thenthere will be no jealousy if your luck seems better than that ofothers. They will, of course, know that you are differently born andeducated to themselves, but they will not like you any the worse forthat, if they find that you do not try to keep aloof from them or giveyourselves airs. And look here, boys, play any tricks you like withthe men, but don't do it with the non-commissioned officers. There isnothing they hate so much as impudence from the boys, and they haveit in their power to do you a great deal of good or of harm. You willnot have much to do with the bandmaster. Only a portion of the bandaccompanies us, and even that will be broken up when we once enterupon active campaigning. Several of the company buglers have eitherleft lately, or have got their stripes and given up their bugles, andI do not fancy that their places will be filled up before we get outthere. Now, your great object will be to get two of these vacancies. Iam afraid you are too young, still there will be plenty more vacanciesafter we are once in the field, for a bullet has no respect forbuglers; and you see the better you behave the better your chance ofbeing chosen."

  "What is the difference exactly, sir?" Tom asked.

  "The company bugler ranks on the strength of the company, messes,marches, and goes into action with them; the other buglers merely formpart of the band, are under the bandmaster, play at the head of theregiment on its march, and help in the hospitals during a battle."

  "Macpherson," he said as he entered the bandmaster's quarters, where anumber of men and a few lads were practicing, "I have brought you twolads who have entered as buglers."

  The bandmaster was a Scotchman--a stiff-looking, elderly man.

  "Weel, Captain Manley, I'm wanting boys, but they look vera young, andI misdoubt they had better have been at school than here. However,I'll do my best with them; they look smart lads, and we shall haveplenty of time at the depot to get them into shape."

  "Lots of time, Macpherson, lots of time. They say they know a fewcalls on the bugle, so perhaps they had better stick to the calls atpresent; you will have plenty of time to begin with them regularlywith the notes when all the bustle is over."

  "Eh, ye know the calls, boys? Hardy and Graves, give them your bugles,and let us hear them. Now for the advance."

  Tom and Peter felt very nervous, but they had really practiced hardfor an hour a day for the last four months, and could play all thecalls they knew steadily and well. The bandmaster made no remark untilthey had sounded some half a dozen calls as he named them, and thenhe said, "The lads have a vera gude idea of it, Captain Manley. Theyare steadier and clearer than mony a one of the boys already. Will yebegin at once, lads, or will ye wait till ye get your uniform?"

  "We had rather begin at once," the boys answered together.

  "Vera gude. Hardy, take two bugles out of the chest, and then takethese lads--What's your name, boys? Eh? Scudamore? A vera gudename--take them over to Corporal Skinner, he will be practicing withthe others on the ramp."

  With a word of grateful thanks to Captain Manley as he went out beforethem, the boys followed their new guide out to the ramparts. A guidewas hardly necessary, for an incessant bugling betokened the place,where, in one of the bastions behind the barracks, seven or eightbuglers were sounding the various calls under the direction ofCorporal Skinner.

  The corporal was a man of few words, for he merely nodded when theboy--who had not opened his lips on the way, indeed, he was too busywondering who these young swells were, and what they had run away for,to say a word--gave the bandmaster's message to the effect that thenew-comers knew some of the calls and were to be under his tuition forthe present, pointed to them where to stand, and in another minute Tomand Peter were hard at work adding to the deafening din. After halfan hour's practice they were pleased at seeing Captain Manley strollup and call their instructor aside, and they felt sure that he wasspeaking to him of them. This was so, for the officer was carrying outthe instructions he had received from Colonel Tritton.

  "Corporal," he said, "I want to say a word to you about those boys whohave just joined. They seem to have a fair idea of the calls."

  "Yes, sir, they only know a few, but those they do know they can soundas well as any of them."

  "That is right, corporal. Now look here, what I am going to say is notto go farther, you understand."

  "Yes, sir, I will keep my mouth shut."

  "Very well. You can see the lads are not like most of our band boys.They are a gentleman's sons who have got into some scrape or other andrun away from school."

  "I was thinking as much, sir."

  "The colonel believes that he knows their family, Skinner; but ofcourse, that will not make any difference in regard to them. Still hewould be pleased, I know, if they could sound the calls well enough togo with the regiment. They are most anxious to learn. Now I shall beglad if you can get them up to the mark. It will, of course, entail alot of extra trouble upon you, but if you can get them fit in time, Iwill pay you a couple of guineas for your extra time."

  "Thank you, sir," the corporal saluted. "I think I can manage it--atany rate if I don't it won't be for want of trying."

  "Who are those nice-looking lads I saw with you, Manley?" Major Jamesasked as the captain came into the messroom to lunch.

  "Those are two buglers in his Majesty's Norfolk Rangers."

  There was a general laugh.

  "No, but really, Manley, who are they? I was quite struck with them;good style of boys."

  "It is a fact, major. Harding will tell you so," and he nodded to theadjutant.

  "Yes, Manley is saying the thing that's right," the adjutant answered."The doctor passed them, and I swore them in."

  "I am sorry for it," the major said. "There were three or four of usstanding on the mess-room steps and we all noticed them. They weregentlemen, if I ever saw one, and a hard life they will have of itwith the band boys. However, they are not likely to stay there. Theyhave run away from school, of course, and will be claimed. I wonderyou enlisted them."

  "The colonel's orders, major," the adjutant said. "Manley took them tohim, I believe, and then brought them to me."

  "I don't think you need feel anxious about them among the boys,major," Captain Manley said. "I fancy they can hold their own. Ifound them outside the gate where a row was going on among some ofthe recruiting sergeants, and one of those boys had just tripped upa sergeant of the 15th and nearly broken his head."

  There was a general laugh.

  "They are quite interesting, these prodigies of yours, Manley.
How didthe boy do it? I should not have thought him strong enough to havethrown a man off his balance."

  "I asked Summers about it afterwards," Captain Manley said, "thefellow gave one of the boys a box on the ear, and in an instant theboy stooped, caught his foot and pulled it forward and up. The thingwas done in a moment, and the sergeant was on his back before he knewwhat's what."

  "By Jove," a young ensign said, "I have seen that trick done at Eton."

  "That is just where the boy said he learnt it," Captain Manley said."The colonel asked him suddenly, and it slipped out."

  "If they're Etonians, I ought to know them," the ensign said. "I onlyleft six months ago. What are their names?"

  "Their name is Scudamore."

  "By Jove, they were in the same house with me. Uncommonly sharp littlefellows, and up to no end of mischief. It was always believed, thoughno one could prove it, that they were the boys who nearly suffocatedthe bargee."

  There was a roar of laughter.

  "Tell us all about, Carruthers."

  "Well, there was not very much known about it. It seems the fellowpurposely upset a boat with four or five of our fellows in it, andthat night a dozen lighted crackers were thrown down into the littlecabin where the fellow was asleep; the hatch was fastened and hewas sent drifting down stream with the crackers exploding all abouthim. The smoke nearly suffocated the fellow, I believe There was atremendous row about it, but they could not bring it home to any one.We always put it down to the Scudamores, though they never would ownto it; but they were the only fellows in the boat who would have doneit, and they were always up to mischief."

  "But what makes them come here as buglers?" the major asked.

  "Their father was a banker, I believe, down in the Eastern Countiessomewhere. He died suddenly in the middle of the half before I left,and they went away to the funeral and never came back again."

  "The fact is," Captain Manley said, "I fancy by what they say, thoughthey did not mention their father was a banker, that he lost all hismoney suddenly and died of the shock. At any rate they are alonein the world, and the colonel has no doubt that they are somerelation--nephews, I should imagine--of Peter Scudamore, who was ourcolonel when I joined. One of them is called Peter. They acknowledgedthat they had a particular reason for choosing this regiment; butthey would neither acknowledge or deny that he was a relation. Nowthat we know their father was a banker, we shall find out withoutdifficulty--indeed I have no doubt the colonel will know whether PeterScudamore had a brother a banker."

  "What's to be done, Manley?" Major James said. "I don't like thethought of poor old Peter's nephews turning buglers. All of us fieldofficers, and the best part of you captains, served under him, anda better fellow never stepped. I think between us we might dosomething."

  "I would do anything I could," Carruthers said, "and there are Watsonand Talbot who were at Eton too. Dash it, I don't like to think of twoEtonians in a band," "You are all very good," Captain Manley said,"but from what I see of the boys they will go their own way. They haveplenty of pride, and they acknowledge that their reason for refusingto say whether they are any relation of the colonel was that theydid not want to be taken notice of or treated differently from otherboys, because it would cause jealousy, and make their position moredifficult. All they asked was that they might accompany the regiment,and not remain behind at the depot; and as, fortunately, they haveboth been practising with the bugle, and can sound most of the callsas well as the others, the colonel was able to grant their request.Had they been older, of course, we could have arranged for them to gowith us as volunteers, we who knew the colonel, paying their expensesbetween us: as it is, the only thing we can do for them--and that iswhat they would like best is to treat them just like the other boys,but to give them every chance of distinguishing themselves. If theydon't get knocked over, they ought to win a commission before thecampaign is over."

  In the meantime Tom and Peter had been introducing themselves to theregiment. The exercise over, they had returned to dinner. It was arough meal, but the boys enjoyed it, and after it was over a numberof the men of the band, with whom they messed, crowded round to askthe usual questions of new-comers--their curiosity heightened in thepresent instance by the fact that the boys differed so widely fromordinary recruits.

  "Look here," Tom said, laughing, "I can't answer you all at once, butif you put me on the table I will tell you all about us."

  There was a general laugh, and many of the soldiers other than theband sauntered up to see what was going on.

  "The first thing to tell you," Tom said, "is our names. We go by thenames of Tom and Peter Scudamore, but I need scarcely tell you thatthese are not our real names. The fact is--but this is quite asecret--we are the eldest sons of Sir Arthur Wellesley--"

  Here Tom was interrupted by a shout of laughter.

  "Sir Arthur," Tom went on calmly, "wished to make us colonels of twoof the Life Guard regiments, but as they were not going on foreignservice we did not see it, and have accordingly entered the regimentwhich Sir Arthur, our father, in speaking to a friend, said was thefinest in the service--namely, the Norfolk Rangers. We believe thatit is the custom, upon entering a regiment, to pay our footing, and Ihave given a guinea to Corporal Skinner, and asked him to make it goas far as he could."

  There was great laughter over Tom's speech, which was just suited tosoldiers, and the boys from that moment were considered part of theregiment.

  "There's good stuff in those boys," an old sergeant said to another,"plucky and cool. I shouldn't be surprised if what Tom Dillon saidwas about right; he was waiting at mess just now, and though he didn'thear all that was said, he picked up that there was an idea thatthese boys are related to the old colonel. He was a good fellow, hewas, and, though I say nothing against Colonel Tritton, yet we missedColonel Scudamore terribly. Strict, and yet kind, just the sort offellow to serve under. If the boys take after him they will be acredit to the regiment, and mark my words, we shan't see them in theband many years."