nn'orth."

"Tuppence, sir."

"A penny. Why, you've just had a penny for nothing."

"All right, master. Going?"

"Yes, I'm showing him round," said Mercer. "Come along, Burry, we'll go
and see old Lomax now."

He led the way out of the kitchen garden, and round by a field where the
Doctor's Alderney cows were grazing, then through a shrubbery to the
back of the thatched cottage I had dimly seen as the fly drove by the
previous night.

"Left, right! Three quarters half face. As you never were. Left
counter-jumper march! Halt stare at pease!"

All this was shouted by Mercer as we approached the cottage door, and
had the effect of bringing out a stiff-looking, sturdy, middle-aged man
with a short pipe in his mouth, which he removed, carried one hand to
his forehead in a salute, and then stood stiff and erect before us,
looking sharply at me.

"Mornin', gentlemen," he said.

"Morning," cried Mercer. "'Tention! Parade for introductions. This is
Field-Marshal Commander-in-Chief Drill-master and Riding-master Lomax.
This is Burr junior, new boy, come to see you. I say, Lom, he's going
to be a soldier. His father was a soldier in India. He was killed at
what's-its-name?--Chilly winegar."

"Eh?" cried the old soldier. "Glad to see you, sir. Shake hands, and
welcome to your new quarters. Come inside."

"No, not now, I'm showing him round. We'll come another time, and bring
you some tobacco, and you shall tell us the story about the fight with
the Indian rajahs."

"To be sure I will, lads. Where are you going now?"

"Going? Let's see. Oh, I know. We'll go to Polly Hopley's."

"Ah, I suppose so. You boys are always going to Polly Hopley's.
Good-bye."

He shook hands with us, then drew himself up and saluted us
ceremoniously, and, as I glanced back, I could see him still standing
upright in his erect, military fashion.

"You'll like old As-you-were," said Mercer, as we went on, now along the
road. "The Doctor got hold of him cheap, and he does all sorts of
things. Cuts and nails the trees, and goes messages to the town. He's
a splendid chap to get things for you."

"But may we go right away like this?" I said, as I saw we were now far
from the grounds.

"Oh yes, to-day. He's very strict at other times, and we have to get
leave when we want to go out, but this is free day, and I want to show
you everything because you're new. Nobody showed me anything. I had to
find it all out, and