finished by that time. Come in and say good-bye before
you start in the morning."

There was no slight feeling of envy when Edgar's good fortune became
known, and the other trumpeters were unanimous in declaring that it was
a shame his being chosen.

"Well, you see, you could not all go," the trumpet-major said, "and if
Smith had not been chosen it would have been long odds against each of
you."

"But he is the last joined of the lot," one of the men urged.

"He can blow a trumpet as well as any of you," the sergeant said, "and
that is what he is wanted for. I think that it is natural enough the
colonel should give him the pull. The officers think a good deal of a
fellow who helped the regiment to win a dozen matches at cricket, and
who carried off the long-distance running prize at Aldershot; besides,
he behaved uncommonly well in that fight, and has as good a right to the
V.C. as any man there. I think that a fellow like that ought to have the
pull if only one is to get it, and I am sure the whole regiment will be
of opinion that he has deserved the chance he has got."

By the next morning the suit of karkee was ready, and Edgar was sent for
early to the orderly-room and officially informed by the colonel that he
had been detailed for service in the Heavy Camel Corps.

"I need not tell you, Smith, to behave yourself well--to be a credit to
the regiment. I should not have chosen you for the service unless I felt
perfectly confident that you would do that. I hope that you will come
back again safe and sound with the regiment. Good-bye, lad!"

Edgar saluted and left the room. Several of the officers followed him
out and bade him a cheery farewell, for he was a general favourite. All
knew that he was a gentleman, and hoped that he would some day win a
commission. He then accompanied Major Horsley to his quarters, and there
the officer and his wife both shook hands with him warmly.

"You will be a sergeant three months after you come back," Major Horsley
said; "and your having been on this Nile expedition, and your conduct at
El-Teb, will help you on when the time comes, and I hope you will be one
of us before many years are over."

Edgar then went up to his barrack-room to say good-bye to his friends,
and took off his smart Hussar uniform and put on the karkee suit, amid
much laughter and friendly chaff at the change in his appearance. The
adjutant had ordered a trooper to accompany him to the camp of the Camel