ut him?" cried Tom eagerly.

"Him that was down here, sir, and I fetched the ladder for to get in
yonder."

"Then it was you, Pete?"

"Oh yes, sir; I helped him. I was a nice boy then. You'll hardly
believe it, but he's in my company--a soldier. Private R.A."

"My cousin?"

"Yes, sir."

"And is he getting on well?" said Tom.

"Hum! ha!" said the sergeant stiffly. "He gets into trouble too often.
I don't think he'll earn his stripes just yet. Good-morning, sir, and
good-bye. But--"

"Yes, Pete."

"Would you mind shaking hands, sir--once?" Tom's hand darted out.

The next minute Pete was swinging along at the steady, firm rate of the
British soldier on the march, and Tom Blount went back into the mill, to
continue a calculation connected with the stars.

The End.

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