often, he said--

'You won't see us many more times. We're ordered to the front; and
we sail on Tuesday week; and the guns will be painted mud-colour,
and the men will wear mud-colour too, and so shall I.'

The men looked very nice, though they were not wearing their
busbies, but only Tommy caps, put on all sorts of ways.

We were very sorry they were going, but Oswald, as well as others,
looked with envy on those who would soon be allowed--being grown
up, and no nonsense about your education--to go and fight for their
Queen and country.

Then suddenly Alice whispered to Oswald, and he said--

'All right; but tell him yourself.'

So Alice said to the captain--

'Will you stop next time you pass?'

He said, 'I'm afraid I can't promise that.'

Alice said, 'You might; there's a particular reason.'

He said, 'What?' which was a natural remark; not rude, as it is
with children. Alice said--

'We want to give the soldiers a keepsake and will write to ask my