saw. I can see what they're gettin' at, though. Lord! how often I've
been told off an' dressed down in my day! They shape well--extremely
well they shape."

"If I could get 'em out into the open, there's nothing I couldn't do
with 'em, Major. Perhaps when the uniforms come down, they'll change
their mind."

Indeed it was time that the corps made some concession to the curiosity
of the school. Thrice had the guard been maltreated and thrice had the
corps dealt out martial law to the offender. The school raged. What was
the use, they asked, of a cadet-corps which none might see? Mr. King
congratulated them on their invisible defenders, and they could not
parry his thrusts. Foxy was growing sullen and restive. A few of the
corps expressed openly doubts as to the wisdom of their course; and the
question of uniforms loomed on the near horizon. If these were issued,
they would be forced to wear them.

But, as so often happens in this life, the matter was suddenly settled
from without.

The Head had duly informed the Council that their recommendation had
been acted upon, and that, so far as he could learn, the buys were
drilling. He said nothing of the terms on which they drilled. Naturally,
General Collinson was delighted and told his friends. One of his friends
rejoiced in a friend, a Member of Parliament--a zealous, an intelligent,
and, above all, a patriotic person, anxious to do the most good in the
shortest possible time. But we cannot answer, alas! for the friends of
our friends. If Collinson's friend had introduced him to the General,
the latter would have taken his measure and saved much. But the friend
merely spoke of his friend; and since no two people in the world see eye
to eye, the picture conveyed to Collinson was inaccurate. Moreover, the
man was an M.P., an impeccable Conservative, and the General had the
English soldier's lurking respect for any member of the Court of Last
Appeal. He was going down into the West country, to spread light in
somebody's benighted constituency. Wouldn't it be a good idea if, armed
with the General's recommendation, he, taking the admirable and newly
established cadet-corps for his text, spoke a few words--"Just talked
to the boys a little--eh? You know the kind of thing that would be
acceptable; and he'd be the very man to do it. The sort of talk that
boys understand, you know."

"They didn't talk to 'em much in my time," said the General,
suspiciously.

"Ah! but times c