tain's stars for
me. The mess-sergeant will fit me out. He trades in second-hand
uniforms."

"You have the advantage of me, Mr. Dawson," said the Commandant,
smiling, "in your profound knowledge of the functions of a mess
sergeant."

"I was a recruit here, sir, when you were a second lieutenant. I know
the by-ways of Chatham and the perquisites of mess-sergeants. I was a
sergeant myself once."

"I remember you, Dawson," said the Commandant kindly, "and am proud to
see one of us become so great a man. By the regulations a temporary
officer should wear khaki."

"No khaki for me, sir, please," implored Dawson. "I should not feel
that I belonged to the old Corps in khaki. In my time it was the red
parade tunic or the sea-service blue."

"Wear any kit you please. This is your day, not mine. I have been
ordered to place myself and all Chatham at your disposal, though what
your particular game is I have not a notion. I won't ask any questions
now, but please come and dine with me in mess when you return, and let
me have the whole story."

"I will, sir," cried Dawson heartily, "and thank you very much. I have
waited at the mess, but never dined with it The old Corps is going
with me to do a pretty bit of work, different from anything that it
has ever done before."

"That would not be easy; we have been in every scrap on land or sea
since the year dot."

Dawson looked round carefully, and then whispered, "Those eighty
Marines of mine are going to cut off a snake's head and stop a bloody
revolution. They've done that sort of thing many times at the ends of
the earth, but never, I believe, in England."

"I wish that I were again a lieutenant," growled the Commandant, "for
then I would volunteer to come with you."

"You shall choose my second-in-command yourself, sir," conceded Dawson
handsomely.

Captain Dawson chose his men with discrimination. All those above five
years' service were paraded in the barrack square, and Dawson,
assisted by the Commandant, to whom his men were as his own children,
picked out the eighty lucky ones at leisure. Those who were rejected
shrugged their stiff square shoulders and predicted disaster for the
expedition. In one small detail Dawson changed his plans. He had
intended to take two sergeants only, but in Chatham there were four
who had served with him in the ranks, and he could not withstand their
pleadings. When all was settled, Dawson went to the Commandant's
quarters to be int