ore I
could fall in with that which would bring me to my boys. I decided to
make a "carom" of it, and nearly took the heads off a pair of horses,
and the pole off the omnibus to which they were attached, as I dashed
through. Turning to the right, I soon lost the torrent of invective
hurled after me by the driver and conductor of the discomfited 'bus, and
in less than two minutes--which seemed to me an age, for the pursuit was
drawing near--I reached my boys, dropped them a half sov. apiece, which
I had ready in my hand, and bolted for my hairdresser's, the boys
leading the horse in the opposite direction, as previously ordered.

It was none too soon, for as I ran up stairs I saw three or four
policemen running toward the horse, and there was a gleam of dancing
plumes and shining helmets toward Whitehall. My false beard and
complexion were changed with marvelous rapidity, and, assuming my
promenade costume, I sauntered down stairs and out upon the sidewalk in
time to see the whole street jammed with a crowd of excited Britons,
while the recaptured horse was turned over to the Guardsmen, and the two
boys were marched off to Bow street for examination before a magistrate.

A private room and an elaborate dinner at the United Service Club
closed the day; and I must admit that my military friends swallowed
their evident chagrin with a very good grace. Of course I was told that
I could not do it again, which I readily admitted; and that there was
not another man in the troop whom I could have unhorsed--an assertion
which I as persistently combated. The affair was officially hushed up,
and probably not more than a few thousand people ever heard of it
outside military circles.

How I escaped arrest and punishment to the extent of the law I did not
know for many years, for the duke of Wellington, who was then
commander-in-chief, had only to order the officers concerned under
arrest, and I should have been in honor bound to come forward with a
voluntary confession.

My giant was sent for to the old duke's private room the day after his
overthrow, and questioned sharply by the adjutant, who, with pardonable
incredulity, suspected that bribery alone could have brought about so
direful a catastrophe. The duke was from the first convinced of the
soldier's, honesty and bravery, and presently broke in upon the
adjutant's examination with--"Well, well! speak to me now. What have you
to say for yourself?"

"May it please yer ludshi