Captain
Taunton's regiment was on service in India. And there was not a finer
non-commissioned officer in it,--no, nor in the whole line,--than
Corporal Richard Doubledick.

* * * * *

In eighteen hundred and one, the Indian army were on the coast of Egypt.
Next year was the year of the proclamation of the short peace, and they
were recalled. It had then become well known to thousands of men, that
wherever Captain Taunton, with the dark, bright eyes, led, there, close
to him, ever at his side, firm as a rock, true as the sun, and brave as
Mars, would be certain to be found, while life beat in their hearts,
that famous soldier, _Sergeant_ Richard Doubledick.

Eighteen hundred and five, besides being the great year of Trafalgar,
was a year of hard fighting in India. That year saw such wonders done by
a Sergeant-Major, who cut his way single-handed through a solid mass of
men, recovered the colors of his regiment, which had been seized from
the hand of a poor boy shot through the heart, and rescued his wounded
Captain, who was down, and in a very jungle of horses' hoofs and
sabres,--saw such wonders done, I say, by this brave Sergeant-Major,
that he was specially made the bearer of the colors he had won; and
_Ensign_ Richard Doubledick had risen from the ranks.

Sorely cut up in every battle, but always reinforced by the bravest of
men,--for the fame of following the old colors, shot through and
through, which Ensign Richard Doubledick had saved, inspired all
breasts,--this regiment fought its way through the Peninsular war, up to
the investment of Badajos in eighteen hundred and twelve. Again and
again it had been cheered through the British ranks until the tears had
sprung into men's eyes at the mere hearing of the mighty British voice,
so exultant in their valor; and there was not a drummer boy but knew the
legend, that wherever the two friends, Major Taunton, with the dark,
bright eyes, and Ensign Richard Doubledick, who was devoted to him, were
seen to go, there the boldest spirits in the English army became wild to
follow.

One day, at Badajos,--not in the great storming, but in repelling a hot
sally of the besieged upon our men at work in the trenches, who had
given way,--the two officers found themselves hurrying forward, face to
face, against a party of French infantry, who made a stand. There was an
officer at their head, encouraging his men,--a courageous, handsome,
gallant o