a quarter of an hour Phil was the proud possessor of two stripes
on his right arm, the badge of a full corporal.

"There you are, corporal," said the tailor. "They're fixed on strong,
and I hope they'll never want to be taken off. Stick to 'em, and when
the time comes I'll sew on another with all me heart. Now you'd better
look lively. The `fall in' goes in a few minutes, and I hear there's
something else for you to listen to."

"Something else? Why, what?" asked Phil.

"Well, some message came down from the castle, that's all I know of, but
they're rigging up the platform on the square, so it looks like some
show or other."

Phil groaned dismally, and went to his barrack-room to smarten himself
up, hoping that this new "show" could have nothing to do with himself.

But he was disappointed. The whole battalion fell in, carrying the
colours, and having been duly formed up in review order and inspected,
they stood at ease, wondering what was coming, and looking with curious
eyes at the group of privileged sightseers who had already assembled,
and at the red-carpeted platform which had been placed on the opposite
side of the square.

Suddenly a movement was noticed amidst the crowd outside the gates; they
opened up, and a minute later two royal carriages swept in past the
guard-room.

All eyes were turned towards them, till a hoarse "Battalion, attention.
Royal salute. Present arms!" was given by the colonel, and as one man
the regiment went through the movement, colours and officers' swords
dropped simultaneously, and a royal personage, dressed in full uniform,
was driven up to the centre, where, the carriage having stopped, he
descended, and returned the salute.

Then followed a minute inspection, during which Phil's heart beat
tumultuously against his ribs. Afterwards, with colours in air and the
band playing, the regiment marched past in column--a sight worth going
many miles to see--and finally drew up in quarter column and faced
inwards towards the platform.

"Corporal Western!" the colonel cried.

Phil started and flushed crimson. Then, recovering his composure, he
stepped from the ranks, and, marching forward, halted a few paces in
front of the platform.

"Officers, non-commissioned officers, and men," commenced the royal
personage who had reviewed them, stepping forward, "it has given me
great pleasure to come here to-day and witness the fine way in which you
have marched, and the smart, so