.

"Just like a couple o' second-hand Robinson Crusoes out of a pantymime,
and bound for the North Pole. Talk about a lark. Oh, don't I wish my
poor old mother could see her bee-u-tiful boy!--Poor old chaps! Poor
old pardners! Won't they be waxy when they knows I'm gone! Here,
blessed if I can get, at my clean pocket-'ankychy, and I wants to shed a
purlin' tear for poor old Sergeant Gee."

"Ready!" came to check the flow of Gedge's thoughts, and, picking up his
rifle, the fellow to that placed ready for Bracy, he stepped out into
the court, to find all the men left in the fort gathered to see them
start, for the news was every one's property now; and as they marched
towards the gates there was a low murmur, but no man stirred.

It was different, though, with the women; though here, too, all was done
in silence. Officers' wives stepped forward to press Bracy's hands,
with the tears standing in their eyes, and many a "God-speed!" was
murmured in the ears of both.

"But no one shakes a hand with me," said Gedge sadly to himself; and
then, "Well, I'm blessed!"

For Sergeant Gee was on one side of him to lay a hand upon his shoulder.

"Good-bye, Gedge," he said in his harsh, uncompromising way; "you'll
stick to your officer like a brave lad, I know."

"Thank ye, Sergeant; and same to you," growled Gedge; and then the tears
stood in his eyes, for Mrs Gee had hold of his unoccupied hand, to
press it hard, with a grip, in fact, like a man's.

"Here," she said, taking a small, flat, black packet from her breast,
and Gedge saw that it was envelope-shaped, but home-made in oil-skin,
and instead of being adhesive; there was a neat button and buttonhole.
"Put that in your breast-pocket, my boy," she said, "and never part with
it. Bandages, oiled silk, needles and thread, and a pair o' scissors.
And mind this: plug a bullet-hole directly; and whatever you do, clean
water, and lots of it, for all wounds."

"Thank ye, missus."

"For you and Mr Bracy too. There, Bill Gedge, you're a brave lad, and
I'll kiss you for your mother's sake, in case you don't come back; and
if ever I return to England I'll write and tell the Queen how her brave
boys are always ready to do or die, though I know she won't get my
letter if I do."

The men nearly disobeyed orders when Mrs Gee took hold of Gedge by his
woolly _poshtin_ and gave him a sounding kiss first on one cheek and
then on the other, but they forbore; and the brave lad's e