lton, with the same quizzical smile.

"I licked him till he blubbered," Phil blurted out shamefacedly,
conscious that he had been dragged into saying more than he had at first
intended.

"Ha, ha, ha! you licked him till he blubbered," roared the old
gentleman, losing in a moment his appearance of gravity, and beaming all
over his face. "You licked him, and a very proper thing too, my friend!
But you must not be trying such games now. It would mean a
court-martial, or even something more serious. But I must be going now.
Bear in mind what I have told you, and be sure of this--war--red war--
is at hand. Now good-bye and good luck!--you are just the class of lads
that England will want."

"Thank you, sir! Good-bye!" cried Phil and Tony, saluting the old
gentleman. Then, tucking their canes under their arms, they strode out
of the building and away to the barracks, discussing as they went the
possibility of war, and the share they were likely to take in it.

"I'm going to get a book on Russian!" exclaimed Phil, the day following
their visit to the British Museum. "People tell me it is the most
difficult of all languages to learn, but I may be able to pick up a few
useful words. I remember now that the firm I acted as clerk to did
business with another trading with Russian ports, and they had a Russian
clerk. I met him once or twice, and I'll just go along and see what he
says about the matter."

"It's a good thing, right enough, Phil," Tony replied, with a shrug,
"but it's far beyond me, as far as the clouds; but you have a try at it,
old man, and I'll be bound you'll succeed. I never knew yer beat yet."

Accordingly Phil went off at the first opportunity to see the clerk he
had mentioned, and after a chat with him bought a book, and was shown
the characters as a first lesson.

"Take my advice," said the clerk, who was the son of a Russian mother
and an English father, and almost entirely English in his ways and
thoughts, "and buy a really good map of the country, and a reliable
compass. Supposing you get cut off from the troops, it might prove of
the greatest service to you. As regards the language, come along to my
rooms as often as you like. I am always in about six o'clock, and will
be glad to give you a lesson."

Phil was not slow to take advantage of the offer. Every day he was free
from guards and other duties, and had no engagement with Tony to see the
sights of London, he repaired to the room