fifteen, and it is time you went
from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll be all the better away
from here--for certain reasons I need not go into. You are a lucky
lad, George,--I wish I had had half your chance when I was in my
teens."

The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it was
useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have to go,
and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a man.

Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him just
at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to enter the
army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious that his son
should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and his party was now
decidedly winning in the political race, there would not only be no
difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine prospect of advancement for
the youth.

"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a
soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite
expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a
bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I--I am--well, never mind; it's silly
to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I am bound to confess
he's got good fighting stuff in him."

When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have said, "I
see another scene, and could wish to live a little longer." His keen
political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in March, 1702, he
died; in the May of the same year war was proclaimed, the combination
of powers known as the Grand Alliance on the one side, Louis XIV, the
Grand Monarque, on the other. The nations belonging to the Grand
Alliance were at first England, Holland, and the Empire; at later
dates Sweden, Denmark, and most of the States of Germany came in, a
strong league. But it was needed. Louis was the most powerful
sovereign in Europe, and France the richest nation. To its resources
were added those of Spain and her dependencies; for the most part, at
any rate, for there were portions even of Spain which would have
preferred the Archduke Charles to Philip of France, and it was the
cause of Charles that England and the other members of the Alliance
were espousing. Thus began the war known in history as the War of the
Spanish Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the
most remarkable generals in European story.

Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or
rather, as he was