to cut the suit down till
it roughly fitted the little invalid, braiding it like the drum and
bugle boys', and making a little military cap as well, so that by the
time he was able to trot along in the rear of the regiment he did not
seem out of place.

"Joe," said Mrs Corporal one morning, "look at him; don't he look
splendid? He's our soldier boy now, and I shall call him Dick."

"All right," said the corporal; "Dick ain't bad, but you might ha'
called him Joe the second."

CHAPTER THREE.

It was quite six weeks after Dick had been found, and he was weak still,
but that only troubled him by making him feel tired, and at such times
there was always a ride ready for him on the top of a pack carried by a
mule.

And there he was happy enough, for he was rapidly growing into being the
pet of the regiment, and first one of the men brought him fruit, and
some one thing and some another; but Mrs Corporal was always pretty
close at hand to take care that he was not spoiled or made ill, and
Corporal Joe said over and over again to his wife, that it was
"ama-a-azin'."

"What's amazing, Joe?" she said one day. "What do you keep saying that
for?"

"'Cause it is," he said.

"Yes, but why, Joe?"

"'Cause ever since I found that there boy you've been as proud as a
peacock with two tails."

"And enough to make me," said Mrs Corporal tartly. "There never was
such a boy before. Look at him!" and she pointed to where the little
fellow, in full uniform, was perched on a mule-pack, and the baggage
guard with fixed bayonets marched close beside.

"Yes," said Joe drily, as he screwed up his face; "I've been a-looking
at him a deal. His coatee fits horrid."

"That it don't," said Mrs Corporal; "and it was the best I could do out
of such old stuff."

"Well, it weer old," said her husband; "but it's all crinkles and
creases, and that boy puzzles me."

"Why? How?"

"'Cause you'd think after he'd seen his people killed and the house
burnt about his ears he'd ha' been frightened like; but he don't seem to
mind nothing about it, not a bit."

"Ah, it is strange," said Mrs Corporal; "but there couldn't be a braver
nor a better little chap."

"That there couldn't," said the Corporal proudly; "but I think I've
found out what's the matter with him. That crack on the head made him
an idjit."

"For shame, Joe!" cried his wife. "He's as clever and bright a little
fellow as ever stepped."

"So he is, missus; but he