Lord Roberts shook hands with Ruth, and turned to Ernie.
"What battalion?" he asked in his high-pitched voice.
"First, sir," answered Ernie, rigid at attention, in a voice Ruth had never heard before.
"Ah," said the old Field-Marshal. "They were with me in the march to Kandahar. Never shall I forget them!" He ran his eye shrewdly over the other. "Are you keeping fit?"
"Pretty fair, considering, sir," answered Ernie, relaxing suddenly as he had braced.
"Well, you'll be wanted soon," said Bobs, and passed on. "How these men run to seed, directly they leave the service, Lewknor!" he remarked to the Colonel on the stairs. "Now I daresay that fellow was a smart upstanding man when he was with you."
Ernie, thrilled at his adventure, went out into the cool night with Ruth, quietly amused at his excitement, beside him.
"Didn't 'alf look, Alf didn't, when he talked to you!" chuckled Ruth.
That was the main impression she had derived from the meeting, that and Lord Roberts's ears and the way they were stuck on to his head; but Ernie's mind was still in tumult.
"Where's Joe then?" he cried suddenly, and turned to see his pal still standing somewhat forlorn on the steps of the Town Hall.