"I'll give them up. Granny always says I'm selfish. It was awfully mean to talk of my leg. Now then hurry! Gee-up!"
Dudley took the reins with a gratified smile, applied the whip, and the spirited little pony dashed along the road at such a rate, that a porter looked after them in dismay.
"Those two young gents will come to their death afore they're satisfied," he remarked, and another man responded:
"Yes, the little one is pretty well smashed up already, but legs or no legs, boys allays keeps their sperrits!"
Captain Smalley was rather startled at hearing frantic shouts behind him, and when he pulled up wondering if some message were to be delivered, he was still more bewildered by what he heard.
"Hi, Captain Smalley! Stop for us. We've come two miles out of our way. Now then, Roy, go ahead!"
"Do you know Rob? We want you to tell us how he is. We can't get a word out of him; is there going to be any fighting? And how does he look in his clothes?"
"Who is Rob?" asked Captain Smalley.
"Why, he's a soldier like you. You must know him!"
A few more explanations were made, and then the young man laughed heartily.