ed, and he
greeted them warmly, and introduced them to the officer with him.

"Makes one feel old, Murray," he said, "to have a couple of great
fellows like these for sons."

"Sons? I thought that--" began the officer.

"Oh, about this fellow," said Sir Robert merrily. "Oh yes, he's
Forbes's boy; but Lady Gowan and I seem to have adopted him like. Sort
of step-parents to him--eh, Andrew?"

"I wish I could quite feel that, Sir Robert," said Andrew warmly.

"Well, quite feel it then, my lad," said Sir Robert, clapping him on the
shoulder. "It rests with you.--Think Frank here will ever be man enough
for a soldier, Murray?"

"Man enough? Of course," said the officer addressed. "We must get them
both commissions as soon as they're old enough. Forbes might begin
now."

"H'm! Ha!" said Sir Robert, giving the lad a dry look. "Andrew Forbes
will have to wait a bit."

Then, seeing the blood come into the lad's face at the remark which
meant so much:

"He's going to wait for Frank here.--Well, isn't it nearly
dinner-time?--Hungry, boys?"

"Er--no, sir," said Andrew.

"Frank is," said Sir Robert, smiling at his son.

"Can't help it, father," said the boy frankly. "I always am."

"And a capital sign too, my lad," said the officer addressed as Murray.
"There's nothing like a fine healthy appetite in a boy. It means making
bone and muscle, and growing. Oh yes, he'll be as big as you are,
Gowan. Make a finer man, I'll be bound."

"Don't look like it," said Sir Robert merrily; "why, the boy's blushing
like a great girl."

The conversation was ended by the entrance of several other officers,
who all welcomed the two lads warmly, and seemed pleased to do all they
could to set at their ease the son and _protege_ of the most popular
officer in the regiment.

Captain Murray, his father's friend, was chatting with Frank, when he
suddenly said:

"Here are the rest of the guests."

Six German officers entered the room, and Frank started and turned to
glance at his father, and then at Andrew, whom he found looking in his
direction; but Sir Robert had advanced with the elderly colonel of the
regiment, and Captain Murray rose as well.

"I shall have to play interpreter," he said, smiling. "Come along, and
the colonel will introduce you two, or I will. They don't speak any
English; and if you two do not, your father and I are the only men
present who know German."

The introductions followed, and feeling