utting his hand in his pocket and taking
out a flat steel tobacco-box which opened with a spring. "I had to go
up to town more than a week ago to an inspection and about my pension,
and while I was up I thought I'd go and see my sisters, and then I
thought I'd go and see about those--you know what."

"And did you?" I cried eagerly.

"Wait a moment," he said, taking out four shillings and handing them to
us--two to each. "I did write about them, and they asked so much that I
wrote to another place, and they were dear too; and then, as I had to go
up, I went to a place I remembered, and saw the man, and told him what I
wanted, and he brought out two pairs of his best, which had been in the
shop three years, and got faded to look at, but he said they were better
than ever, and he let me have 'em for thirteen shillings."

"Oh, Lom!" cried Mercer excitedly. "But when are they coming down?"

"They are down. Didn't you see?"

"No, I didn't see."

"They were in the carpet-bag," I cried. "Oh, do let's look!"

"No, not to-day, my lads. They're all right, and if you like to get up
to-morrow morning and come to me at five o'clock, I'll give you your
first lesson. Now I must go and report myself to the Doctor, or he'll
be drumming me out of the regiment for not doing my work."

He saluted us and marched off, while we went round to the back and made
our way to the stables and up into the loft, for Mercer to have a peep
at the ferret, which tried hard to get out. Then, closing the slate
down close, he spun round, cut a caper, struck an attitude, and began
sparring and dancing round me in the most absurd manner.

"Oh, only wait!" he cried, pausing to take breath. "I do feel so glad!
But, I say, we mustn't have that ferret there. I know. I'll put it in
the bin, watering-pot and all, or it'll either get out, or some of the
boys'll come and look, and let it go."

"But you haven't got the key."

"I forgot. I didn't get it from old Magg, again. Let's go and find
him. No, it's all right. He has put it in the padlock."

The bin was thrown open; but the pot was not placed therein, for Mercer
remembered a box with a lid, which, as he expressed it, lived in there,
and it was emptied and brought forth.

"Just make him a splendid little hutch!" he cried, "Here, come along,
Sandy."

He thrust his hand into the pot, took hold of the ferret, and was about
to place it in the box; but it gave a wriggle and writhe, glided