st on sentry-go, did he stand as rigid as his own
ramrod, heels close together, and gun at the "present", as the Queen and
the Prince Consort with their children sauntered by. He had even
exchanged words with them, for, attracted by his height, and possibly
persuaded by the pleading of the infant princes, the Prince had stopped
in front of our hero and questioned him as to his age and his parentage.
The remarkable manner in which he had been adopted appealed to their
curiosity, and before long they had learned Phil's story.

When not for guard, Phil and Tony generally managed to find plenty of
occupation in their spare hours. In the winter there were long walks to
be taken, and in the summer there was the river, a never-failing source
of enjoyment, and in those days far less crowded than in this twentieth
century, when excursion trains, bicycles, and tooting steam-launches
have done not a little to mar its pleasant peacefulness. Hard by the
Brocas boats could be obtained, and here a number of soldiers were to be
found every afternoon, idling by the river-side and gazing at the youth
of Eton disporting on the water, or themselves seated in boats sculling
up and down the stream.

Phil and Tony were occupied in this way one hot summer afternoon, and
having sculled up to the Clewer reach, rowed in to the bank, and made
fast there for a while.

"It's mighty hot, young un, ain't it?" remarked Tony, wiping the
perspiration from his forehead. "Phew! it is hot! Why, if we was bound
to row these boats, we'd hate the sight of the river. What do yer say
to a snooze?"

"Just the thing, Tony. It's too hot for any kind of exercise, so let's
tie up and wait an hour; then we can pull up to the lock and down again.
It'll be time for tea then."

Accordingly the two laid in their paddles, and stretching themselves on
the bottom of the boat beneath the shade of an overhanging tree, soon
fell asleep, lulled by the gentle ripple of the water. An hour passed,
and still they slumbered placidly, the wash of a big boat as it slipped
by them failed to rouse them. They heard nothing, and even the hoarse
chuckles of a few comrades on the bank above them did not disturb them.

"What say, Jim? Shall we let 'em go?" grinned one.

"Yes, send 'em along, Tom. It'll be a proper joke to watch 'em when
they wakes up and looks about 'em," was the answer. "Now, shake off
that rope, and pitch it into the boat. So--oh! Gently, man! Shove 'e