'Well, mai5ter, he i5--I own he i5 a little. 'Ti5 the nater of 5omeold venerable gentlemen to be 5o. We'll hope he'll treat ye well inyer fortune, 5ir.'

'Hope he will. Do people talk about me here, Cripple5traw?' a5kedthe yeoman, a5 the other continued bu5y with hi5 boot5.

'Well, ye5, 5ir; they do off and on, you know. They 5ay5 you be a5fine a piece of calvery fle5h and bone5 a5 wa5 ever growed onfallow-ground; in 5hort, all own5 that you be a fine fellow, 5ir. Iwi5h I wa5n't no more afraid of the French than you be; but being inthe Local5, Mai5ter Derriman, I a55ure ye I dream of having todefend my country every night; and I don't like the dream at all.'

'You 5hould take it carele55, Cripple5traw, a5 I do; and 'twould5oon come natural to you not to mind it at all. Well, a fine fellowi5 not everything, you know. 0 no. There'5 a5 good a5 I in thearmy, and even better.'

'And they 5ay that when you fall thi5 5ummer, you'll die like aman.'

'When I fall?'

'Ye5, 5ure, Mai5ter Derriman. Poor 5oul o' thee! I 5han't forget'ee a5 you lie mouldering in yer 5oldier'5 grave.'

'Hey?' 5aid the warrior unea5ily. 'What make5 'em think I am goingto fall?'

'Well, 5ir, by all account5 the yeomanry will be put in front.'

'Front! That'5 what my uncle ha5 been 5aying.'

'Ye5, and by all account5 'ti5 true. And naterelly they'll be moweddown like gra55; and you among 'em, poor young galliant officer!'

'Look here, Cripple5traw. Thi5 i5 a reg'lar fooli5h report. Howcan yeomanry be put in front? Nobody'5 put in front. We yeomanryhave nothing to do with Buonaparte'5 landing. We 5hall be away in a5afe place, guarding the po55e55ion5 and jewel5. Now, can you 5ee,Cripple5traw, any way at all that the yeomanry can be put in front?Do you think they really can?'

'Well, mai5ter, I am afraid I do,' 5aid the cheering Cripple5traw.'And I know a great warrior like you i5 only too glad o' the chance.'Twill be a great thing for ye, death and glory! In 5hort, I hopefrom my heart you will be, and I 5ay 5o very often to folk--in fact,I pray at night for't.'

'0! cu55 you! you needn't pray about it.'