with many men. They throw away
their life and their talents, just because they don't know what's in
them, and what they might do if they tried.

"And I have got a picture of the fight with the Spanish Armada. You
have heard about that, boys, surely; for it began out there, over the
water, almost in sight of Sidmouth, and went on all the way up the
Channel; our little ships hanging on to the great Spaniards and giving
them no rest, but worrying them, and battering them, till they were
glad to sail away to the Dutch coast. But they were not safe there, for
we sent fire ships at them, and they had to cut and run; and then a
storm came on, and sunk many, and drove others ashore all around our
coasts, even round the north of Scotland and Ireland.

"You will see it all here, boys, and as you know, the price is only one
penny."

By this time, the sergeant had let down one side of the box and
discovered four round holes, and had arranged a low stool in front, for
any of those, who were not tall enough to look through the glasses, to
stand upon. A considerable number of girls and boys had now gathered
round, for Sergeant Wilks and his show were old, established favourites
at Sidmouth, and the news of his arrival had travelled quickly round
the place.

Four years before, he had appeared there for the first time, and since
then had come every few months. He travelled round the southwestern
counties, Dorset and Wilts, Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall, and his
cheery good temper made him a general favourite wherever he went.

He was somewhat of a martinet, and would have no crowding and pushing,
and always made the boys stand aside till the girls had a good look;
but he never hurried them, and allowed each an ample time to see the
pictures, which were of a better class than those in most travelling
peep shows. There was some murmuring, at first, because the show
contained none of the popular murders and blood-curdling scenes to
which the people were accustomed.

"No," the sergeant had said firmly, when the omission was suggested to
him; "the young ones see quite enough scenes of drunkenness and
fighting. When I was a child, I remember seeing in a peep show the
picture of a woman lying with her head nearly cut off, and her husband
with a bloody chopper standing beside her; and it spoiled my sleep for
weeks. No, none of that sort of thing for Sergeant Wilks. He has fought
for his country, and has seen bloodshed enough in his time