Give the word of
command, captain."

The words, "Form! March!" rang out.

She was thrown to the ground; the whole field was in motion; Barnaby was
whirled away into the heart of a dense mass of men, and the widow saw
him no more.

Barnaby himself, heedless of the weight of the great banner he carried,
marched proud, happy, and elated past all telling. Hugh was at his side,
and next to Hugh came a squat, thick-set personage called Dennis, who,
unknown to his companions, was no other than the public hangman.

"I wish I could see her somewhere," said Barnaby, looking anxiously
around. "She would be proud to see me now, eh, Hugh? She'd cry with joy,
I know she would."

"Why, what palaver's this?" asked Mr. Dennis, with supreme disdain. "We
ain't got no sentimental members among us, I hope."

"Don't be uneasy, brother," cried Hugh, "he's only talking of his
mother."

"His mother!" growled Mr. Dennis, with a strong oath, and in tones of
deep disgust. "And have I combined myself with this here section, and
turned out on this here memorable day, to hear men talk about their
mothers?"

"Barnaby's right," cried Hugh, with a grin, "and I say it. Lookee, bold
lad, if she's not here to see it's because I've provided for her, and
sent half-a-dozen gentlemen, every one of 'em with a blue flag, to take
her to a grand house all hung round with gold and silver banners, where
she'll wait till you come and want for nothing. And we'll get money
for her. Money, cocked hats, and gold lace will all belong to us if we
are true to that noble gentleman, if we carry our flags and keep 'em
safe. That's all we've got to do.

"Don't you see, man," Hugh whispered to Dennis, "that the lad's a
natural, and can be got to do anything if you take him the right way?
He's worth a dozen men in earnest, as you'd find if you tried a fall
with him. You'll soon see whether he's of use or not."

Mr. Dennis received this explanation with many nods and winks, and
softened his behaviour towards Barnaby from that moment.

Hugh was right. It was Barnaby who stood his ground, and grasped his
pole more firmly when the Guards came out to clear the mob away from
Westminster.

One soldier came spurring on, cutting at the hands of those who would
have forced his charger back, and still Barnaby, without retreating an
inch, waited for his coming. Some called to him to fly, when the pole
swept the air above the people's heads, and the man's saddle was empty
in