am not ever so many feet deep in it now, like many better men. They never lost sight of me, and somehow hauled me out.’
Gertrude gave him a hug, and Mary’s eyes got so misty, that her skein fell into worse entanglements than ever.
‘Were you conscious?’ asked Ethel.
‘I can’t say. I’m clear of nothing but choking and gasping then, and a good while after. It was a treacherous, unlucky affair, and I’m afraid I shall miss the licking of rascally John Chinaman. If all I heard at Plymouth is true, we may have work handy to home.’
‘At home you may say,’ said his father, ‘Dulce et, &c. is our motto. Didn’t you know what a nest of heroes we have here to receive you? Let me introduce you to Captain Ernescliffe, of the Dorset Volunteer Rifle Corps; Private Thomas May, of the Cambridge University Corps; and Mr. Aubrey Spencer May, for whom I have found a rifle, and am expected to find a uniform as soon as the wise heads have settled what colour will be most becoming.’
‘Becoming! No, papa!’ indignantly shouted Aubrey: ‘it is the colour that will be most invisible in skirmishing.’
‘Gray, faced with scarlet,’ said Hector, decidedly.
‘Yes, that is the colour of the invincible Dorsets,’ said Dr. May. ‘There you see our great authority with his military instructions in his hand.’
‘No, sir,’ replied Hector, ‘it’s not military instructions, it is Crauford’s General Orders.’
‘And,’ added the Doctor, ‘there’s his bride working the colours, and Mary wanting to emulate her.’
‘I don’t think George will ever permit us to have colours,’ said Ethel; ‘he says that Rifles have no business with them, for that they are of no use to skirmishers.’
‘The matter has been taken out of George’s hands,’ said Aubrey; ‘there would not have been a volunteer in the country if he had his way.’
‘Yes,’ explained Ethel, ‘the real soldier can’t believe in volunteers, nor cavalry in infantry; but he is thoroughly in for it now.’
‘Owing to his Roman matron’ quoth Tom. ‘It was a wonderful opening for public spirit when Lady Walkinghame insisted on Sir Henry refusing the use of the park for practice, for fear we should make targets of the children. So the Spartan mother at Abbotstoke, gallantly setting Margaret aside, sent for the committee at once to choose the very best place in the park.’
‘Papa is chairman of the committee,’ added Aubrey, ‘he is mayor this year, so we must encourage it.’
‘And Aubrey hit four times at a hundred yards,’ triumphantly declared Gertrude, ‘when Edward Anderson and Henry Ward only got a ball in by accident.’
‘Henry Ward ought to be shot at himself,’ was Aubrey’s sentiment, ‘for not letting Leonard be in the corps.’
‘The fellow that you brought to Maplewood?’ asked Hector. ‘I thought he was at school.’
‘Didn’t you know that old Hoxton has given leave to any of the sixth form to drill and practise? and that trumpery fellow, Henry, says he can’t afford the outfit, though his sister would have given the uniform.’
‘Let me tell you, young folks,’ said the Doctor, ‘that you are not to suppose it always hails crack rifles on all sorts of improved systems, as it does when Captain Hector is in the house.’
‘They are only on trial, sir,’ apologized Hector.
‘Very odd then that they all have an eagle and H. E. on them,’ observed the Doctor dryly.
‘Oh! they’ll take them again, or I shall find a use for them,’ said Hector.
‘Well, if Henry can’t afford two,’ said Aubrey, holding to his point, ‘he ought to give up to his brother; he knows no more how to handle a rifle—’
‘That’s the very reason,’ muttered Tom.
‘And Flora is going to give a great party,’ proceeded Gertrude, ‘as soon as the uniform is settled, and they are enrolled. Blanche and Hector are to stay for it, and you’ll have to wear your lieutenant’s uniform, Harry.’
‘I can’t be going to balls till I’ve been up to report myself fit for service,’ said Harry.
‘It is not to be a ball,’ said Blanche’s soft, serious voice over her green silk banner; ‘it is to be a breakfast and concert, ending in a dance, such as we had at Maplewood.’
‘Hollo!’ said Harry, starting, ‘now I begin to believe in Mrs. Ernescliffe, when I hear her drawing down herself as an example to Flora.’
‘Only a precedent,’ said Blanche, blushing a little, but still grave. ‘We have had some experience, you know. Our corps was one of the earliest enrolled, and Hector managed it almost entirely. It was the reason we have not been able to come here sooner, but we thought it right to be foremost, as the enemy are sure to attempt our coast first.’
‘I believe the enemy are expected on every coast at first,’ was Ethel’s aside, but it was not heard; for Harry was declaring,
‘Your coast! they will never get the length of that. I was talking to an old messmate of mine in the train, who was telling me how we could burn their whole fleet before it could get out of Cherbourg.’
‘If they should slip by,’ began Hector.
‘Slip by!’ and Harry had well-nigh dislodged Daisy by his vehemence in demonstrating that they were welcome to volunteer, but that the Channel Fleet would prevent the rifles from being seriously put to the proof—a declaration highly satisfactory to the ladies, and heartily backed up by the Doctor, though Blanche looked rather discomfited, and Hector argued loud for the probability of active service.
