'You _can_ trust 'em, then?'

'And that again, sir--savin' your presence--would be sayin' more than
I mean. For the lads, sir, are young lads, though willing enough;
and young lads need to be nursed, however willing. As between you
and me, sir'--here he appealed to Captain Archimbeau--'B Company is
the steadiest in the battalion. But if the major takes away its
captain, and upon top of him its senior sergeant--well, beggin' your
pardon, a compliment's a compliment, but it may be bought too dear.'

'Wilkes is right,' said the major, after a pause. 'To take the both
of you would be risky; and unless I'm mistaken, Archimbeau, he thinks
you will be the easier spared.'

'I haven't a doubt he does,' agreed Captain Archimbeau, laughing.

'But I do not, sir.' The sergeant seemed on the point to say more,
but checked himself.

'Well?'

'It's not for me to give an opinion, sir, unless asked for it.'

'I ask for it, then--your plain opinion, as a soldier.'

'An officer's an officer--that's my opinion. There's good and bad,
to be sure; but an officer like the captain here, that the men can
trust, is harder spared than any sergeant: let alone that you can
easily spread officers too thick--even good ones, and even in a