alities of the
great world; and since that day, handfuls of Englishmen have built
breastworks out of materials almost as strange, and as little intended
for the purpose, and have fought desperate and bloody fights, and won
undying fame, in their defence.

"I'm going to be this chap, who takes on and off his horse," said Jack.
"Which is you?"

"Here I am," answered Valentine. "Now then, you fire first--blaze
away!"

As he spoke he picked up the veteran captain of the solid lead guards,
and set him down in the centre of the defending force, and so the
battle commenced. It was still raging when Jane came to say that tea
was ready; but the losses on both sides had been terribly severe. The
invading army still pressed forward, though the "57th" were once more
decimated by the withering fire; and nothing actually remained of the
"Coldstream Guards" but a kettle-drummer of uncertain nationality, and
a man carrying a red and green flag, which he might very possibly have
captured from some Sunday-school treat. The opposite side were in no
better plight: men were lying crushed under the ruins of the works
which they had so gallantly defended; and hardly enough artillerymen
were left to have pulled back, with their united efforts, the spring of
one of the pea cannons. The leaders on both sides remained unscathed,
and continued to brandish bent lead swords at each other in mutual
defiance.

"Make haste! you've got one more shot," said Valentine.

The pea-shooter was levelled and discharged, the veteran lead captain
tottered and tell, and thus the fight ended.

"Val, my boy, you're killed!" cried Jack. "No matter, it's the bed of
honour, old chap!"

"Oh, I don't mind!" answered the other, laughing. "_C'est la guerre_,
you know; come along. I'd no idea you were so fond of soldiers."

So they passed down to Queen Mab's merry tea-table, unsaddened by any
recollections of the stricken field, or of the lead commander left
behind among the slain.

The two boys talked "soldiering" all the evening; and the next morning,
when breakfast was nearly over, and Helen ran upstairs to inquire if
they meant to lie on till dinner-time, they were still harping away on
the same subject. The door was standing ajar, and she heard their
words.

"Don't move your knee," Jack was saying; "that's the hill where I
should post my artillery."

"Yes, that's all right," answered Valentine; "but you couldn't shell my
reserves if I got them