money suddenly and died of the shock. At any rate they are alone
in the world, and the colonel has no doubt that they are some
relation--nephews, I should imagine--of Peter Scudamore, who was our
colonel when I joined. One of them is called Peter. They acknowledged
that they had a particular reason for choosing this regiment; but
they would neither acknowledge or deny that he was a relation. Now
that we know their father was a banker, we shall find out without
difficulty--indeed I have no doubt the colonel will know whether Peter
Scudamore had a brother a banker."

"What's to be done, Manley?" Major James said. "I don't like the
thought of poor old Peter's nephews turning buglers. All of us field
officers, and the best part of you captains, served under him, and
a better fellow never stepped. I think between us we might do
something."

"I would do anything I could," Carruthers said, "and there are Watson
and Talbot who were at Eton too. Dash it, I don't like to think of two
Etonians in a band," "You are all very good," Captain Manley said,
"but from what I see of the boys they will go their own way. They have
plenty of pride, and they acknowledge that their reason for refusing
to say whether they are any relation of the colonel was that they
did not want to be taken notice of or treated differently from other
boys, because it would cause jealousy, and make their position more
difficult. All they asked was that they might accompany the regiment,
and not remain behind at the depot; and as, fortunately, they have
both been practising with the bugle, and can sound most of the calls
as well as the others, the colonel was able to grant their request.
Had they been older, of course, we could have arranged for them to go
with us as volunteers, we who knew the colonel, paying their expenses