earl, was disposed to make it up, but my grandfather died, and my
grandmother married again--an honest sea-captain--and the noble peer
cut her dead."

"And so you joined the Royal Picts. But I wonder you came to this
regiment to serve with your cousin."

"I enlisted, you know, a couple of years before he was gazetted to the
corps."

"Do they know you took the shilling?--that you are now a
colour-sergeant in the Royal Picts?"

"I don't think they are aware of my existence even."

"Well, never mind. Don't be cast down. The time may come when they
will be proud to recognise you. It all depends upon yourself?"

"I will do all I know to force them, you may be sure."

"And you will have your chance, in a great war like this which is
coming. Everything is possible to a man whose heart is in the right
place. You have pluck and spirit."

The young fellow's eyes flashed.

"Trust me, Hyde; I sha'n't flinch, if I only get the chance."

"You are well educated; you can draw; you have picked up Spanish since
you have been here; and I suppose you inherit a taste for languages
from your Polish father?"

"I don't know; at any rate, I can talk French fluently, and I speak
Russian of course."

"Why, man! the game is positively in your own hands. You are bound to
get on: mark my words."

"Not if we stay here, Hyde, keeping guard upon this old Rock and
losing all the fun. Can you wonder why I am so anxious the regiment
should get the route?"

"It will come, never fear. They will want every soldier that carries a
musket before this war is over, or I'm a much-mistaken man. Only have
patience."

"How can I? I am eating my heart out, Hyde."

"Was it to tell me this you came down here? What brings you to
Waterport this morning? Only to gossip with me?"

"That, and something more. I am on duty, detailed as orderly sergeant
to one of the Expeditionary Generals; he is just going to land from a
yacht in the bay."

"Do you know his name?"

"Yes, Wilders--another of my fine cousins. You can understand now why
I am so bitter against my relations to-day: there are too many of them
about."

"I suppose that is what's brought our Mr. Wilders here to-day--to meet
his cousin."

"And his brother; for they are on board Lord Lydstone's yacht."

"They! How many of them?"

"General Wilders has his wife with him, I believe, accompanying him to
the East."

"Old idiot! Why couldn't he leave her at home? Women are in the way at
the