he was not believed.

"What brought you here?" continued the colonel.

"I came to enlist, sir," said Dick, quickly.

"And the sergeant would not have you because you were too boyish, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Quite right, too! Where do you come from?"

There was no reply, and the colonel frowned.

"Where are you going to-night?"

Dick shook his head, and the colonel frowned again.

"Well, I have no right to inquire, I suppose, but you are not fit to go
on tramp again to-night, my lad," continued the colonel, kindly; "and
you had better mind where you go to sleep. Those instruments of yours
are good, are they not?"

"Oh, yes," said Dick, eagerly; "they are both of the best make."

"And you have practised a great deal?"

"Oh, yes, sir--a great deal."

"Doesn't it seem strange to you, then, that a decentish-looking young
fellow, who can play well, should be regularly on tramp and coming to
enlist?"

"Yes, sir, very."

"Well, he had better stay here to-night--eh, Doctor?"

"Most advisable," said the keen-looking surgeon.

"Wilkins, you had better take charge of your fellow-musician," said the
colonel.

"Yes, sir," came in rather an offended tone, which the colonel noticed.

"He had better go with the bandsmen, perhaps; he would be more
comfortable.--Look here, sir, I shall make inquiries about you. Come to
enlist, eh? Wouldn't care to join our band, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir!" cried Dick, eagerly.

"Beg pardon, sir, we are quite full," said the bandmaster, importantly.

"Of what, Mr Wilkins?" said the colonel, sternly. "Incompetents? I am
not much of a judge, sir, but I know enough music to be able to say that
ours is one of the worst bands in the army. I shall have inquiries made
about this Richard or Dick Smithson, and, if the results are favourable,
he had better stay. See that he is looked after for the night!"

The colonel sauntered off; followed by the doctor, and Dick stood gazing
after him, wondering whether they would find out who he was and whence
he came, when the bandmaster said in an ill-used tone of voice--

"Here, you had better come with me!" and he led the way to the portion
of the barracks which formed the bandsmen's quarters, where Dick passed
the night.

"Eh? No! Why, it is! Well, I'm blessed!"

The fat sergeant's ejaculations when, one morning, Dick Smithson, the
new recruit to the band, hurried up to take his place with the awkward
squad and learn a sufficiency of the