betters, to make his mark.

Ghastly was the ruin that escaped, and awful was the wrath of the
Bazar-Sergeant. Awful too was the scene in Orderly-room when the
two reprobates appeared to answer the charge of half-murdering a
"civilian." The Bazar-Sergeant thirsted for a criminal action, and
his son lied. The boys stood to attention while the black clouds
of evidence accumulated.

"You little devils are more trouble than the rest of the Regiment
put together," said the Colonel angrily. "One might as well
admonish thistledown, and I can't well put you in cells or under
stoppages. You must be birched again."

"Beg y' pardon, Sir. Can't we say nothin' in our own defence,
Sir?" shrilled Jakin.

"Hey! What? Are you going to argue with me?" said the Colonel.

"No, Sir," said Lew. "But if a man come to you, Sir, and said he
was going to report you, Sir, for 'aving a bit of a turn-up with a
friend, Sir, an' wanted to get money out o' you, Sir-"

The Orderly-room exploded in a roar of laughter. "Well?" said the
Colonel.

"That was what that measly jarnwar there did, Sir, and 'e'd 'a'
done it, Sir, if we 'adn't prevented 'im. We didn't 'it 'im much,
Sir. 'E 'adn't no manner o' right to interfere with us, Sir. I
don't mind bein' birched by the Drum-Major, Sir, nor yet reported