posal than had been the case at
school. He resolutely avoided dwelling on the past, and whenever he
found himself thinking of what had so long been home, he took up a book,
or went out for a walk, or engaged in some occupation that served to
distract his thoughts. He missed the games. Football was occasionally
played, but there was no observance of rules, and after trying it once
or twice he gave it up in disgust. He often joined in a game at fives,
and practised running and jumping, so as to be able to take part in the
regimental sports in the spring.

When Easter had passed and the weather became bright and pleasant he
often took long walks alone, for it was seldom he could find anyone
willing to accompany him. He had learnt drawing at Cheltenham, and as he
found that it would be useful for him when he obtained the rank of a
non-commissioned officer to make sketches and maps to send in with
reports of any country reconnoitred, he accustomed himself to do this on
his walks, jotting down the features of the country, noticing the spots
where roads came in, the width of the bridges across the canals and the
nature of their banks, and taking sketches of what appeared to him
positions that would be occupied to check a pursuing force, or to be
taken up by an advanced one.

At this time, too, he joined a class for signalling, and found it highly
interesting, and before the end of the summer could send a message or
read one with flags or flash-lights. As soon as the summer really began
he took to cricket, and here he speedily attracted the attention of the
officers. He had been the best bowler in the second eleven, and would
have been in the first the next season at Cheltenham. But it was some
little time before his proficiency as a bowler became known, although
it was soon seen that his batting was far above the average.

"That youngster handles his bat well, Moffat," one of the lieutenants
said to the captain, who was the most energetic cricketer among the
officers, and who with one or two of the sergeants generally made up the
team when the regimental eleven played against that of another corps.

"Yes, he plays in good form, doesn't he? Who is the young fellow at the
wicket now, sergeant?"

"He is trumpeter of D troop, sir. He only joined three months ago, but
he could play a bit when he came, and got posted to a troop before two
others who joined four or five months before him."

"The man who is bowling now is not up