PapaWickhadbeenaCommissionerinhisday，holdingauthorityoverthreemillionsofmenintheChota-BuldanaDivision，buildinggreatworksforthegoodoftheland，anddoinghisbesttomaketwobladesofgrassgrowwheretherewasbutonebefore。
Ofcourse，nobodyknewanythingaboutthisinthelittleEnglishvillagewherehewasjust’oldMrWick“andhadforgottenthathewasaCompanionoftheOrderoftheStarofIndia。
HepattedBobbyontheshoulderandsaid：“Welldone，myboy！”
Therefollowed，whiletheuniformwasbeingprepared，anintervalofpuredelight，duringwhichBobbytookbrevet-rankasa“man“atthewomen~swampedtennis-partiesandtea-fightsofthevillage，and，Idaresay，hadhisjoiningtimebeenextended，wouldhavefalleninlovewithseveralgirlsatonceLittlecountryvillagesatHomeareveryfullofnicegirls，becausealltheyoungmencomeouttoIndiatomaketheirfortunes。
“India。”saidPapaWick，“istheplaceI’vehadthirtyyearsofitand，begad，I’dliketogobackagainWhenyoujoi~ntheTailTwistersyou’lheamongfriends，ifeveryonehasn’tforgottenWickofChota-Buldana，andalotofpeoplewillbekindtoyouforoursakesThemotherwilltellyoumoreaboutoutfitthanIcan，butrememberthisSticktoyourRegiment，Bohhy~sticktoyourRegimentYou’llseemenallroundyougoingintotheStaffCorps，anddoingeverypossiblesortofdutybutregimental，andyoumaybetemptedtofollowsuitNowsolongasyoukeepwithinyourallowance，andIhaven’tstintedyouthere，sticktotheLine，thewholeLineandnothingbuttheLineBecarefulhowyoubackanotheryoungfool’sbill，andifyoufallinlovewithawomantwentyyearsolderthanyourself，don’ttellmeaboutit，that’sall。”
Withthesecounsels，andmanyothersequallyvaluable，didPapaWickfortifyBobbyerethatlastawfulnightatPortsmouthwhentheOfficers’QuartersheldmoreinmatesthanwereprovidedforbytheRegulations，andtheliberty-menoft~eshipsfellfoulofthedraftsforIndia，andthebattleragedfromtheDockyardGateseventotheslumsof232
Longport，whilethedrabsofFrattoncamedownandscratchedthefacesoftheQueen’sOfficers。
BobbyWick，withanuglybruiseonhisfrecklednose，asickandshakydetachmenttomanoeuvreinshipandthecomfortoffiftyscornfulfemalestoattendto，hadnotimetofeelhomesicktilltheMalabarreachedmid-Channel，whenhedoubledhisemotionswithalittleguard-visitingandagreatmanyothermatters。
TheTailTwisterswereamostparticujarRegimentThosewhoknewthemleastsaidthattheywereeatenupwith’~side。”ButtheirreserveandtheirinternalarrangementsgenerallyweremerelyprotectivediplomacySomefiveyearsbefore，theColonelcommandinghadlookedintothefourteenfearlesseyesofsevenplumpandjuicysubalternswhohadallappliedtoentertheStaffCorps，andhadaskedthemwhythethreestarsshouldhe，acoloneloftheLine，commandadashednurseryfordouble-dashedbottle-suckerswhoputoncondemnedtinspursandrodequalifiedmokesatthehiatusedheadsofforsakenBlackRegimentsHewasarudemanandaterribleWhereforetheremnanttookmeasures[withthehalf-buttasanengineofpublicopinion]tilltherumorwentabroadthatyoungmenwhousedtheTailTwistersasacrutchtotheStaffCorps，hadmanyandvariedtrialstoendureHoweveraregimenthadjustasmuchrighttoitsownsecretsasawoman。
WhenBobbycameupfromDeolaliandtookhisplaceamongtheTailTwisters，itwasgentlyhutfirmlyborneinuponhimthattheRegimentwashisfatherandhismotherandhisindissolublyweddedwife，andthattherewasnocrimeunderthecanopyofheavenblackerthanthatofbringingshameontheRegiment，whichwasthebest-shooting，best-drilled，bestset-up，bravest，mostillustrious，andinallrespectsmostdesirableRegimentwithinthecompassoftheSevenSeasHewastaughtthelegendsoftheMessPlatefromthegreatgrinningGoldenGodsthathadcomeoutoftheSummerPalaceinPekintothesilver-mountedmarkhorhornsnuff-mullpresentedbythelastC0[hewhospaketothesevensubaltems]。
Andeveryoneofthoselegendstoldhimofbattlesfoughtatlongodds，withoutfearaswithoutsupport；ofhospitalitycatholicasanArab’s；offriendshipsdeepastheseaandsteadyasthefighting-line；ofhonorwonbyhardroadsforhonor’ssake；andofinstantandunquestioningdevotiontotheRegiment~theRegimentthatclaimsthelivesofallandlivesforever。
Morethanonce，too，hecameofficiallyintocontactwiththeRegimentalcolors，whichlookedliketheliningofabricklayer’shatontheendofachewedstick。
Bobbydidnotkneelandworshipthem，becauseBritishsubalternsarenotconstructedinthatmannerIndeed，hecondemnedthemfortheirweightattheverymomenttnattheywerefillingwithaweandothermorenoblesentiments。
ButbestofallwastheoccasionwhenhemovedwiththeTailTwisters，inrevieworderatthebreakingofaNovemberdayAllowingforduty-menandsick，theRegimentwasonethousandandeightystrong，andBobbybelongedtothem；forwasbenotaSub-
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alternoftheLine-~hewholeLineandnothingbuttheLine-asthetrampoftwothousandonehundredandsixtysturdyammunitionbootsattestedHewouldnothavechangedplaceswithDeightonoftheHorseBattery，whirlingbyinapillarofcloudtoachorusof“Strongright！
Strongleft！”orHogan-YaleoftheWhiteHussars，leadmghissquadronforallitwasworth，withthepriceofhorseshoesthrownin；or“Tick“Boileau，tryingtoliveuptohisfierceblueandgoldturbanwhilethewaspsoftheBengalCavalrystretchedtoagallopinthewakeofthelong，lolloppingWalersoftheWhiteHussars。
Theyfoughtthroughtheclearcoolday，andBobbyfeltalittlethrillrundownhisspinewhenheheardthetinkletinkle-tinkleoftheemptycartridge-caseshoppingfromthebreech-blocksaftertheroarofthevolleys；forheknewthatbeshouldlivetohearthatsoundinactionThereviewendedinagloriouschaseacrosstheplain-batteriesthunderingaftercavalrytothehugedisgustoftheWhiteHussars，andtheTynesideTailTwistershuntingaSikhRegiment，tilltheleanlathySinghspantedwithexhaustionBobbywasdustyanddrippinglongbeforenoon，buthisenthusiasmwasmerelyfocused-notdiminished。
Hereturnedto5itatthefeetofRevere，his“skipper。”thatistosay，theCaptainofhisCompany，andtobeinstructedinthedarkartandmysteryofmanagingmen，whichisaverylargepartoftheProfessionofArms。
“Ifyouhaven’tatastethatway。”saidRevere，betweenhispuffsofhischeroot“you’llneverheabletogetthehangofit，butrememberBobby，’tisn’tthebestdrill，thoughdrillisnearlyeverything，thathaulsaRegimentthroughHellandoutontheothersideIt’sthemanwhoknowshowtohandlemen-goat-men，swine-men，dog-men，andsoon。”
“Dormer，forinstance。”saidBobby“Ithinkhecomesundertheheadoffool-menHemopeslikeasickowl。”
“That’swhereyoumakeyourmistake，mysonDormerisn’tafoolyet，buthe’sadasheddirtysoldier，andhisroomcorporalmakesfunofhissocksbeforekit-inspectionDormer，beingtwo-thirdspurebrute，goesintoacornerandgrowls。”
“Howdoyouknow？”saidBobby，admiringly。
“BecauseaCompanycommanderhastoknowthesethings-because，ifhedoesnotknow，hemayhavecrim~ay，murder-brewingunderhisverynoseandyetnotseethatit’sthereDormerisbeingbadgeredoutofhismind-bigasheis-andhehasn’tintellectenoughtoresentitHe’stakentoquietboozingand，Bobby，whenthebuttofaroomgoesonthedrink，ortakestomopingbyhimself，measuresarenecessarytopullhimoutofhimself。”
“Whatmeasures？’Mancan’trunroundcoddlinghismenforever。”
“NoThemenwouldprecioussoonshowhimthathewasnotwantedYou’vegotto“-HeretheColor-sergeantenteredwithsomepapers；BobbyreflectedforawhileasReverelookedthroughtheCompanyforms。
“DoesDormerdoanything，Sergeant？”Bobbyasked，withtheairofONLYASUBALTERN
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onecontinuinganinterruptedconversation。
“No，sirDoes’isdootylikeahortomato。”saidtheSergeant，wbodelightedinlongwords“A
dirtysoldier，and’e’sunderfullstoppagesfornewkitIt’scoveredwithscales，sir。”
“Scales？Whatscales？”
“Fish-scales，sir’E’salwayspokin’inthemudbytheriveran’
a-cleanin’themmuchly-fishwith’isthumbs。”ReverewasstillabsorbedintheCompanypapers，andtheSergeant，whowassternlyfondofBobby，continued，-’Egenerallygoesdowntherewhen’e’sgot’isskinful，beggin’youipardon，sir，an’theydosaythatthemorelushin-he-briated’eis，themorefish’ecatchesTheycall’i~theLooneyFish-mongerintheComp’ny，sir。”
ReveresignedthelastpaperandtheSergeantretreated。
“It’safilthyamusement。”sighedBobbytohimselfThenaloudtoRevere：“AreyoureallyworriedaboutDormer？”
“AlittleYouseehe’snevermadenoughtosendtoahospital，ordrunkenoughtorunin，butatanyminutehemayflareup，broodingandsulkingashedoesHeresentsanyinterestbeingshowninhim，andtheonlytimeItookhimoutshootingheallbutshotmebyaccident。”
“Ifish。”saidBobby，withawryface“Ihireacountry-boatandgodowntheriverfromThursdaytoSunday，andtheamiableDormergoeswithme-ifyoucanspareusboth。”
“Youblazingyoungfool！”saidRevere，buthisheartwasfullofmuchmorepleasantwords。
Bobby，theCaptainofadhoni，withPrivateDormerformate，droppeddowntheriveronThursdaymorning-thePrivateatthebow，theSubalternatthehelmThePrivateglareduneasilyattheSubaltern，whorespectedthereserveofthePrivate。
Aftersixhours，Dormerpacedtothestern，saluted，andsaid-“Begy’pardon，sir，butwasyoueverontheDurh’mCanal？”
“No。”saidBobbyWick“Comeandhavesometiffin。”
Theyatein~ilenceAstheeveningfell，PrivateDormerbrokeforth，speakingtohimself-“HiwasontheDurh’mCanal，jes’
suchanight，comenextweektwelvemonth，a-trailin’ofmytoesinthewater。”Hesmokedandsaidnomoretillbedtime。
Thewitcheryofthedawnturnedthegreyriver-reachestopurple，gold，andopal；anditwasasthoughthelumberingdhonicreptacrossthesplendorsofanewheaven。
PrivateDormerpoppedhisheadoutofhisblanketandgazedattheglorybelowandaround。
“Well-damn-myeyes！”saidPrivateDormer，inanawedwhisper。
“This’ereislikeabloomin’
gallantry-show！”Fortherestofthedayhewasdumb，butachievedanensanguinedfilthinessthroughthecleaningofbigfish。
TheboatreturnedonSaturdayeveflingDormerhadbeenstrugglingwithspeechsincenoonAsthelinesandluggagewerebeingdisembarked，hefoundtongue。
“Begy’pardon~sir。”hesaid，“butwouldyou-wouldyoumm’
shakin’’andswithme，sir？”
“Ofcnursenot。”saidBobby，andhe236
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shookaccordinglyDormerreturnedtobarracksandBobbytomess。
“Hewantedalittlequietandsomefishing，Ithink。”saidBobby。
“Myaunt，buthe’safilthysortofanimal！Haveyoueverseenhimclean’them，muchlyfishwith’isthumbs’？”
“Anyhow。”saidRevere，threeweekslater，“he’sdoinghisbesttokeephisthingsclean。”
Whenthespringdied，BobbyjoinedinthegeneralscrambleforHillleave，andtohissurpriseanddelightsecuredthreemonths。
“AsgoodaboyasIwant。”saidRevere，theadmiringskipper。
“Thebestofthebatch。”saidtheAdjutanttotheColonel“Keepbackthatyoungskrim-shankerPorkiss，sir，andletReveremakehimsitup。”
SoBobbydepartedjoyouslytoSimlaPaharwithatinboxofgorgeousraiment。
’SonofWick-oldWickofChotaBuldana？Askhimtodinner，dear。”saidtheagedmen。
“Whataniceboy！”saidthematronsandthemaids。