soldier, at any rate. I wish I was big enough to go with him."

"But I don't want him to go, and I told him so, and he isn't going!"

Dudley opened his eyes at this.

"You going to keep him back? Why you're the one that's always talking
about serving the Queen, and fighting for her!"

"Yes, I should like to, but--but Rob is different. I want him to be with
me."

"Then you don't care about serving the Queen, if you're going to do her
out of a soldier who might fight for her!"

This was quite a new aspect of the affair.

"You think I'm like the dog in the manger? I can't go myself and I don't
want him to. But if you go to a boarding school like Aunt Judy talks of,
and I'm not allowed to go with you, and Rob is gone, I shall be left all
alone; and I hate being alone, you don't know how I hate it--I think I
should die!"

"Well, if I was you and knew I couldn't be a soldier myself, I would
love to send some one instead of me--you know how they do in France. Old
Selby was telling us. They pay a subsidy--substitute--don't you call
it?--to go and fight for them."

"Yes, that is the coward's way," Roy said, scornfully.