ut under the trees at Melbourne,
for example."

"But I mean, when they are acting like soldiers?"

He was ready with a laughing answer again, but seeing how earnest
Daisy's face was, he controlled himself; and leaning on his elbow, with
just a little smile of amusement on his face, he answered her.

"Well, Daisy--sometimes--they do."

"How, Capt. Drummond?"

"In a variety of ways."

"Will you please tell me about it?"

He looked up at her. "Why, Daisy, what makes you curious in the matter?
Have you a friend in the army?"

"No other but you," said Daisy.

"That is a kind speech. To reward you for it, I will tell you anything
you please. What is the question, Daisy?"

"I would like to know in what way soldiers have a hard time?"

"Well, Daisy, to begin, with, a soldier can't do what he has a mind."

"Not about anything?"

"Well--no; not unless he gets leave. I am only at Melbourne now because
I have got leave; and I must go when my leave is up. A soldier does not
belong to himself."

"To whom does he belong?'

"To his commander! He must go and come, do or not do things, just as his
General bids him; and ask no questions."

"Ask no questions?" said Daisy.

"No; only do what he is ordered."

"But why mayn't he ask questions?"

"That isn't his business. He has nothing to do with the reason of
things; all he has got to do is his duty. The _reason_ is his General's
duty to look after."

"But suppose he had a very good General--then that wouldn't be much of a
hardship," said Daisy.

"Well, that is a very material point," said the Captain. "_Suppose_ he
has a good General--as you say; that would make a great difference,
certainly."

"Is that all, Capt. Drummond?"

"Not quite all."

"What else?"

"Well, Daisy, a soldier, even under a good General, is often ordered to
do hard things."

"What sort of things?"

"What do you think," said the Captain lolling comfortably on the green
bank, "of camping out under the rain-clouds--with no bed but stones or
puddles of mud and wet leaves--and rain pouring down all night, and hard
work all day; and no better accommodations for week in and week out?"

"But Capt. Drummond!" said Daisy horrified, "I thought soldiers had
tents?"

"So they do--in fine weather--" said the Captain. "But just where the
hardest work is to do, is where they can't carry their tents."

"Couldn't that be prevented?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I should think they'd get sick?"

"_T