ulent soldier. From that time care was taken that the
lanky youth no longer had me in charge; but we used to scowl at each
other when we passed, and for a year or two after my return to civil
life I cherished a warm hope that I might meet him and repeat in his
society the exercise I had so sweetly relished in the riding-school.

After this episode the crowd was down upon me. It was felt that I had
triumphed, and it was felt that no recruit had a right to triumph
over any officer, however young or however lowly placed. Even a
lance-corporal must be respected, or it was clear that the service was
going to the devil. A brace of sergeants, with whom I had been none too
much of a favourite already, laid themselves out to get me into trouble,
and the plan they adopted was delightfully simple and easy. It is the
rule on retiring from the _manege_ to make the grooming of one's horse
the first duty, though an old soldier will take the precaution on wet or
muddy days to run an oily rag rapidly over the burnished portions of the
horse's fittings in the first instance. This is a labour-saving practice
and is almost universally followed. But I saw one of my enemies with a
sidelong eye upon me, and tackled my horse at once. In two minutes his
confederate was round.

'What the ----' (any competent person who knows barrack life can fill
in the blank) 'do you mean by letting your bridoon and stirrup-irons lie
rusting here? Put 'em in oil at once.'

Number Two, having delivered this order, went away, clothed with curses
as with a garment, and back came Number One.

'Now, what the ---- (break to be filled as before, for these people have
no sense of style or invention) 'do you mean by leaving your horse to
stand and shiver in that beastly lather? A nice bargain the Queen made
when she gave a bob for you!'

This form of insult is traditional, but at first hearing it has power
to gall. The discovery that it is no more than a formula takes off its
edge. Back to the horse, to be again assailed by Number Two for not
having obeyed the order about the bridoon and stirrup-irons. Back to
them, and then the last scene in the comedy, in which, under a charge
of neglecting to groom my horse in spite of repeated warnings, I
was marched straight to the orderly-room, there to appear before the
colonel.

I boiled over in his presence and denounced the little conspiracy.
The colonel was something of a martinet, but he was justice incarnate.
Witness