down to the jetty to boil
the kettle for them."

As he spoke, two ladies of the Institute descended the broad staircase,
each with a basket on her arm.

They entered into conversation for a few minutes with the soldiers at
the bar, and it was abundantly evident to Miles, from the kindly tone of
the former and the respectful air of the latter, that they were familiar
acquaintances, and on the best of terms.

"Are you all ready, Brown?" asked one of the ladies of the soldier-like
civilian, whom we have already mentioned.

"All ready, Miss; a man has already gone to order the bread and butter
and light the fire. I hear the vessel is crowded, so we may expect a
full house to-night."

Miles pricked up his ears on hearing this, and when Brown went out,
leaving the two ladies to finish their conversation with the soldiers,
he followed him.

"Pardon me," he said, on overtaking the man. "Did I understand
correctly that a troop-ship has just arrived?"

"Right," said Brown. "I am just going down to the embarkation jetty to
get coffee ready for the men. You seem to have joined but a short time,
apparently, for though I am familiar with your uniform I have not seen
yourself before."

"True, it is not long since I joined, and this is my first visit to the
Institute."

"I hope it won't be the last, friend," returned Brown heartily. "Every
soldier is welcome there, and, for the matter of that, so is every
sailor and marine."

"I have heard as much. May I accompany you to this jetty to see the
troops arrive, and this coffee business that you speak of?"

"You may, and welcome," said Brown, leading his companion through the
town in the direction of the docks, and chatting, as they walked along,
about the army and navy; about his own experiences in the former; and
about the condition of soldiers at the present time as contrasted with
that of the days gone by.

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE EMBARKATION JETTY--AND NIPPED IN THE BUD.

Bronzed faces under white helmets crowded the ports and bulwarks of the
great white leviathan of the deep--the troop-ship _Orontes_--as she
steamed slowly and cautiously up to the embarkation jetty in Portsmouth
harbour.

On the jetty itself a few anxious wives, mothers, and sisters stood
eagerly scanning the sea of faces, in the almost hopeless endeavour to
distinguish those for which they sought. Yet ever and anon an
exclamation on the jetty, and an answering wave of an arm on the
troop-s