ant to know your story if
you do not choose to tell it. It is easy to see that you have had a good
education. Keep steady, lad, and you will get on. I might have been a
quarter-master years ago if it hadn't been for that. Drink and other
things have kept me down; but when I was twenty I was a smart young
fellow. Ah! that is a long time back."

"Why, one would think that you were an old man, sergeant," Edgar said,
and smiled.

"Older than you would think by a good bit. How old do you take me to
be?"

"Something past thirty."

"A good deal past that. I am just forty, though they don't know it, or I
should not be here."

"Why, then, if you enlisted when you were my age, sergeant, you must
have done over twenty years' service."

"It's twenty-two since I first enlisted. I served eight years in the
infantry. I don't know why I am telling you this, but somehow I have
taken a fancy to you. I was uncomfortable in the regiment. It does not
matter why. I got my stripes twice, and had to give them up or I should
have been put back for drinking. Then I left the regiment without asking
leave. I was three or four years knocking about at home; but I had no
trade and found it hard to get work, so at last I enlisted again. I was
thirty then, but looked years younger than I was. Of course I had shaved
off my moustache and put on a smock-frock when I went to enlist, and I
gave my age as twenty-two. No one questioned it. I chose the cavalry
this time, because I knew that if I entered an infantry regiment again
they would spot me as an old soldier at once; but as it was all new in
the cavalry I managed to pass it off, and now I have had ten years'
service, the last six of them as sergeant. And as I gave up drink years
ago I have a good character in the regiment, and when a steady
non-commissioned officer was wanted for this business I had the luck to
be chosen. Officers coming, lad!"

They rose to their feet and saluted as three officers passed. They were
talking eagerly together, and returned the salute mechanically without
glancing at the two soldiers.

"It is a rum chance, Clinton, our meeting here. I ran against Skinner at
Assouan quite accidentally. I had seen his name in the list of the
officers of the Marines going up; but we met quite by chance, and only
forgathered here yesterday, and now here you are turning up as one of
Stewart's A.D.C.'s. Who would have thought that we three should meet
here, when we have never seen ea