The Bravest of the Brave

m to obtain recruits for the queen's service he was not greatly pleased. This sort of t

here was he to find the recruits the queen required? There were, of course, a few never do wells in the town who could be packed off, to t

iends by sending off persons troublesome to them, but he had not thought of his own case. Here was the very thing; he would send off this troublesome lad to fight for the queen; and

n between himself and his wife. Besides, for Alice's sake, it was clearly his duty to get the fellow out of the way. Girls, Mr. Anthony considered, were always falling in love with the very last people in the world

by the thought that he would be able to conceal from his wife the cause of Jack's absence; he was too well aware of Mrs. Anthony's power of in

him turn to the court book and make out a list of the names of forty young men who h

n would be well rid, if they will send the names to me I will add them to the list. Bid them not to choose married men, if it can be avoided, for the town would be burdened with the support of their wives and families. Another ten names will do.

ispute about wages, and who had threatened to proceed against him in the court. Some of the names were inserted from mere petty spite; but with scarce an exce

o an officer, who would arrive with a company of soldiers on the following day, the names of those whom he deemed suitable for the queen's service. The officer after taking them was to emb

town, and the officer in command, having seen his me

n't want to be waiting here, for I have to go on a similar errand to other towns.

tive and hearty fellows, who will m

ldiers as ever marched to war. However, it is usually the case that the sort of men who give trouble at home are just those who, when the time comes, make the best f

st of the houses where they lodge. I will place the town watch at

ith one of your constables to point out the men, and we will pick them up so many every evening. It is better not to break into houses and seize them; for, although we are acting legally and under the authority of act of parliament, it is always as wel

taking up your abode in my house during your stay here; but may I ask you not to allow my wife, who is inquisitiv

er fear, the list shall be kept safe; and, indeed, it were better that nothing were said of my business in the town, for if this get abroad, some of those whose co

been watching the unlading of the vessel in which he was to sail, he came upon a group of four or five sol

er;" and the soldiers ma

recovered his consciousness he was lying almost in complete darkness, but by the faint gleam of the lantern he discovered that he was in the hold of a ship. Sev

n?" he asked as he some

izens came up and asked what was doing, and the sergeant said, 'It is quite legal. We hold the mayor's warrant to impress this man for ser

hirt and clothes were soaked with blood, and putting his hand to the back of his head he found a great lump from which the blood was still slowly flowing. Taking off his neck handkerchief he bound it round

loudly bewailing their fate, some sat moody and silent, while some bawled out threats of vengeance against those they considered responsible for their captivi

rst place we are parched with thirst, and in the second we may as well try to get o

thing-has once got his hand on you it's of no use kicking against it. I have been pressed twice myself, so I know how you feel. Here, mates," he said to two of t

ash. The salt water made his wound smart, but he continued for half an hour bathing it, and at the end of that time felt vastly fresher and better. Then he soaked his shirt in the wat

asteful in the extreme to the English people. Since the days of Agincourt the English army had never gained any brilliant s

rred the active service which he would see under Marlborough or Peterborough to the monotony of a long sea voyage. At any rate, it was clear that remonstrance or resistance were vain. He as well as others were aware of the law which had just been passed, giving magistrates the power of impressing soldiers for the service, and he felt, therefore, that altho

t once dipped one of the mugs into the pot, and, taking a hunk of bread, sat down to his breakfast. A few others followed his example, but most of them were too a

l, consisting of black bread and a great piece of salt beef, was brought down. This time there were no abstentions. As the evening wore on fresh batches of prisoners were brought in, until, by midnight, the number was raised to fifty. Many of

ters. Three or four were men of different type. There were two or three respectable mechanics-men who had had, at various times, drawn upon them the dislikes o

had now come on board, came down into the hold. He was at o

majesty the better for you, because that you have got to do it is certain. You have all been impressed according to act of parliament, and there is no getting out of it. It's your own faul

nce stepp

to serve, si

will make a good soldier. You look young yet, but that's all in your favor; you will be

example, but the rest were still too sore and

ith a gentle breeze was running along the smooth surface of Southampton waters; the ivy co

ant said, "so I suppose you ha

Jack replied with a smile, "you

rits, lad. Care killed a cat, you know. You are one of the right s

," Jack

h good till they are past twenty. You would have a right to get off if you could prove your age; but of course you could

here's an end to it. But why ain't soldiers any good till they are past

oldiers. A boy will start out on as long a walk as a man can take, but he can't keep it up day after day. When it comes to long marches, to sleeping on the ground in the we

h; "but I must hope that I shan't have long marches, and bad f

grave; and there is the sturdy, hardy young chap, whose good health and good spirits carries him through. That's your sort, I reckon. Good spirits is the best medicine in the world; it's worth all the

last I had a row with his foreman and knocked him down, so I was kicked out into the streets; and I suppose he didn't like seeing me about, and so took this means of getting ri

-why, it ain't as good as a decent kennel. Look at his food-salt meat as hard as a stone, and rotten biscuit that a decent dog would turn up his nose at; his time is never his own-wet or dry, storm or calm, he's got to work when he's told. And what's he got to look forward to? A spree on shore when his voyage is done, and then to work again. Why, my lad, a soldier's life is a gentleman's life in comparison. Once you have learned your drill and know your dut

d with a h

e Low Country, and Marlborough himself said, 'Well done!' when I, with ten rank and file, held a bridge across a canal for half an hour against a company of French. He sent for me after it was over, but when he found I couldn't read or write he couldn't

the hold. Jack was extremely glad of the change, as there was air and ventilation, whereas in the hold the atmosphere had been close and oppressive. He was the more glad next morning when he found that the wind, which had sprung up soon after midnight

y which flew over him. "Half our company are down with seasickness, and as for those chaps down in the fore hold they must be having a bad

o out sailing. I knew most of the fishermen there; they were always ready to

might be there before, but the sailors say that the skipper is not likely to run in befo

ing in light trim made good weather of it. However, even Jack was pleased when he felt a s

eck. It was a miserable body of men who crawled up in answer to the summons, utterly worn out and exhausted with the seasickness,

aint. The sergeant ordered his men to draw up some buckets of water, and told the recruits to wash themselves and

u can to make yourselves clean, or I will have buckets of water thrown over you. I would rather take you on shore drenched to the skin than in that state

mit of, the order was given to land. The party were formed on the quay, four abreast, the soldiers forming the outside line, and so they marched through Dover,

ckon. I thought the whole camp was going to be blown away las

eft of them; they certainly ha

ve a look at them. They are all ready and willing to

ng any trouble, foremost among them that lad at the end of the line, who, Sergeant Edwards tells me, is a fine young fellow and likely to do credit to the regim

along the line an

jesty in accordance with act of parliament, and though some of you may not like it just at present, you will soon get over that and take to it kindly enough. I warn you that the disc

so you couldn't go home if you did; and you would soon be brought back wherever you went, and

ly impressed. They were first taken before the adjutant, who rapidly swore them in, and they were then set to work, assist

and he wanted to get it in something like shape before setting sail. Jack did, however, shrink from the company in which he found himself. With a few exceptions the regiment was made up of wild and worthless fellows, of whom the various magistrates had been only too glad to clear their tow