ristian at the same time.
He'll be all the better soldier by being a good Christian. To know how
to be that, read your Bible, lad, say your prayers, and attend the house
of prayer whenever you can."

I wish that I had always followed my old friend's advice. I did often
remember it, and gained much advantage from having done so.

I was down by six o'clock; and in the common room I met a number of
young men just enlisted, like myself. There was plenty of talking--
questions asked and answered: "What regiment are you for?"

"Where do you come from?"

"Why did you enlist?"

"Do you think you'll pass the doctor?"

This talk was interrupted by the sergeant exclaiming, "Now then, you
youngsters, look out, and get ready for the doctor's inspection."

"We haven't had any breakfast; we want breakfast," cried several voices.

On this the sergeant ordered in breakfast for us, in the shape of a
half-quartern loaf and two ounces of butter for every four recruits.
That over, we were marched to the bath-rooms.

"Now then, young 'uns, strip; get into that bath; scrub and clean
yourselves," cried the sergeant; "for it's time that you were at the
inspection-room."

Having done as we were ordered, we marched off to the inspection-room,
where we waited till the doctor arrived, who was to say whether or not
we had bodily health and strength to serve Her Majesty. We had been
waiting, not a little anxious, when the sergeant cried out--

"Recruit Armstrong, pass at once into the inspection-room."

On hearing my name, I ran into the room. The doctor looked at me for a
moment, and then said--

"Stand on one leg." I did so. "Now on the other. Bend over until you
touch the ground."

I had seen the recruits at the barracks do that, and had tried it often;
so did it with ease.

"Rise again," said the doctor. "Hop on your right leg. Now on your
left. Put out your arms at right angles to your body. Cough. Can you
see well? Read those dots."

"Four, sir," said I.

"How many are there now?"

"Two."

"Pull that machine. Blow that machine. That will do; you can go," said
the doctor. "Sergeant-major, send in the next one."

There were thirteen of us sent in one after the other; but only two,
Dick Marshall, a Suffolk lad, and myself, were passed,--the rest having
some defect which made them unfit for soldiers.

On our return, the sergeant asked Marshall and me if we would mind being
transferred to the 90th regimen