on! Come along and let's get away,"
repeated Phil, in far more terror now than he had been when the boat
upset.

"Wait a minute, my men," suddenly sang out a voice from the bank. "I
want to find out who you are."

Phil reluctantly helped to push the boat alongside, while a gentleman
who he knew had some connection with the castle pushed his way to the
front of the crowd and, coming down the steps, held his hand out towards
him.

"Shake hands, my brave young fellow," he said earnestly. "I never saw a
more gallant deed, and you can have every cause for satisfaction, for
you have saved the life of one of our Queen's most honoured guests.
What is your name?"

"Private Western, sir," answered Phil with flushed cheeks. "Private
Phil Western, Number 1760."

"Then, Western, you can expect to hear from me again. You are a credit
to your regiment, and your officers and all your comrades shall know
what a fine lad you are. Now, I will not detain you. You had better
get off and change your clothes."

"Three cheers for the sodger boy!" a voice in the crowd shouted; and
these were given with a gusto which made Phil's heart flutter, while
Tony stood upright in the boat, looking more pleased and proud than he
had ever done before.

"Shove off!" cried Phil almost angrily. "Shove off, or we shall never
get away." A minute later they were pulling up-stream once more.

"I don't mind guessing them stripes is yours," chuckled Tony over his
shoulder. "Young un, I knewed you'd have 'em soon, but you've won 'em
now, and no one ought to feel prouder of them than you. Mate, Tony
Jenkins is more pleased than if he'd got 'em hisself, and he feels just
like a blessed peacock."

Phil made no reply, for he was still confused after his adventure, but
for all that the thought that now there was some possibility of
promotion elated him. If from this day he was to be known as Corporal
Western he determined that he would do credit to that rank, and make use
of it as a stepping-stone to a higher one. He wondered what the colonel
would say, and was in the middle of imagining himself being thanked by
that officer in the orderly-room when the boat banged against the bank.

"Come along, mate," cried Tony. "We'll get along to barracks and change
these wet togs."

Squeezing the water from their garments they left the boat in charge of
its owner, and made the best of their way to the barracks, where they
were not long in getting into