raham," said the Colonel quietly. "They are
a very brave and gallant nation; and as to our lads, I certainly agree
that they are very young; but when, as the Doctor says, they have been
out here a bit, and put on more muscle--"

"But, hang it all, sir!" cried the Major, "they didn't come out here to
put on muscle, but to fight. And as to your 34th, our fellows haven't
got to fight Frenchmen, but these big hill-tribes. The boys are right
enough in their place, and we shall make soldiers of them in time; but
suppose to-morrow or next day we come plump upon the enemy--what then?"

"Our boys will make them run, sir," cried Bracy, flushing up.

"You mean they'll make our lads run," growled the Major.

"No, I don't, sir. I'll answer for our company. What do you say,
Roberts?"

"Same as you do, old man. Go on; you can put it stronger than I can."

"No," said Bracy: "perhaps I've said too much, as the youngest officer
in the regiment."

"Not a bit, my lad," cried the Colonel warmly. "I endorse all you say.
They are terribly young-looking, but, take them all together, as bright
and plucky a set of fellows as any officer could wish to command."

"Yes," said the Major through his teeth; "but look at them to-day. Hang
me if they didn't at times seem like a pack of schoolboys out for a
holiday--larking and shouting at one another, so that I got out of
patience with them."

"Better like that than limping along, discontented and footsore," said
the Colonel gravely. "The boys are as smart over their drill as they
can be, and a note on the bugle would have brought every one into his
place. I don't want to see the life and buoyancy crushed out of lads by
discipline and the reins held too tightly at the wrong time. By the
way, Graham, you dropped the curb-rein on your horse's neck coming up
the rough pass, and thoroughly gave him his head."

"Yes," said the Major; "but we were talking about men, not horses."

"Bah! Don't listen to him," cried the Doctor, laughing. "He's a bit
yellow in the eyes, and he'll be singing quite a different song soon.
The boys are right enough, Colonel, and all the better for being young--
they'll mould more easily into your ways."

"Humph!" growled the Major, frowning at the Doctor, who responded by
raising his glass, nodding, and drinking to him.

It did not seem long before the bugle sounded, and the men fell in,
every lad drawing himself well up, trying to look his best and as prou