And we'll make him write letters to us and tell us all he is doing--oh,
it will be splendid. How glad I am he has learned to read and write.
Dudley, you just go and fetch him in, will you?"

Dudley crammed rather a large piece of cake into his mouth, and dashed
out of the room; and a few minutes later dragged in the would-be
soldier.

"We've settled you can go, Rob," said Roy, with a little of his
masterful air about him; "only you're to go as _our_ soldier. I think if
I had had a good, broad, strong chest and never broke my leg, I should
have enlisted, but you can go instead of me. Are you glad?"

"I'm sorry to leave you, Master Roy, but I'd dearly like to go."

"We must tell granny and Aunt Judy, and see what they say first. But I'm
sure they'd like you to go."

No objection was made. Miss Bertram was rather pleased than otherwise.

"He will make a good soldier," she said, when talking it over with the
boys; "he is a steady, reliable lad, with not too many ideas of his own,
and implicitly obedient."

"Is that what makes a good soldier?" asked Roy. "I thought it was dash
and bravery."

"Dash is a dangerous quality. Steady perseverance is better, Jonathan!"

The next few days were most exciting ones for the boys. Roy and Rob had
many a long talk together, and very earnest and serious subjects were
touched upon. Rob had little time left to bid his friends farewell, but
he went to old Principle, as a matter of course.

"Yes," said the old man, a little proudly; "all the younger folks going
out in life comes to me for a parting word. They laughs at me and my
principles, but I'm proud of my nickname, and 'tis only right principles
will make a man live right, and they knows it. What can I say to you,
lad, but fear God and honor the Queen and those in authority under her.
Never be afraid of holding to the right and denouncing the wrong, and
may God Almighty take your body and soul in His keeping until we meet
again."

Rob's last day came, and an hour before his departure, in company with
his friend, the sergeant, he came up to the Manor to bid them all
farewell. Roy had some farewell words with him in the privacy of his
bedroom.

"We shall miss you awfully," he said, walking up and down the room to
hide his emotion; "and it makes me wish I had your chance. But you'll
remember, Rob, I look to you to be a rattling good soldier, much better
than I should have been, and you'll be sure to do something grand and
brav