know, Lomax. When the new master's done thumping Latin and
Euclid into us."

"Humph! Well, gentlemen, I hear that the Romans were very fine
soldiers, and Euclid's all about angles and squares, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Well, they're right enough in infantry formation--squares are, and the
angles in fortification, which is a thing I don't know much about,
having been in the cavalry; but when you are ready, so am I, and I'll
set you up and make men of you as your fa--" he glanced at me and pulled
himself up short--"as your people shall be proud of."

"That's right, Lom, and I'll bring you some prime tobacco soon as I can.
I say, you can fight, can't you?"

"Well," he said, smiling and drawing himself up, "they used to say I
could once upon a time. There's my old sword hanging up over the
chimney-piece, and if it could speak--"

"Yes, yes, I know, and you've been wounded," cried Mercer hastily; "but
I don't mean with swords and pistols, I mean with your fists."

"Oh, I see. Boxing."

"Yes," cried Mercer eagerly.

And I was still so dull and confused by the knocking about I had
received, that I had not a glimmer of what he was aiming at.

"Yes; boxing. I want you to teach us."

"Yes, I was a dabster at it when I was in the ---th. We had no end of
it, and we lads used to have a regular subscription round to buy new
gloves. Oh yes, I gave lessons to the officers regularly. Long time
since I've had the gloves on, but I could handle my fists as well as
ever, I daresay."

"Then you'll teach us?"

"Teach you? No, no, my lads. Infantry drill; clubs and dumb-bells;
singlestick and foil; riding with a military seat; but--use of the
gloves! Oh dear no! What do you think the Doctor would say?"

"But he won't know, Lom, and we'll pay you, honour bright."

"I know you would, Master Mercer; and if this young gent, whose father
was in the cavalry--"

"Yes, at Chilly--" began Mercer.

"Wallah, sir," said Lomax severely. "If he says he'll pay me, of course
he would. But no, sir, no. Besides, we've got no gloves, and
boxing-gloves--two pairs--cost money."

"Of course. I know they would, but we'd buy them, or you should for us,
and then we could come here now and then, and you could teach us in your
room, and nobody would know."

"No, sir, no," said the sergeant, shaking his head.

"I say, Lom, look at us both," said Mercer. "See anything?"

"Well, yes, I do, plain, my lads. You two don't want any teach