Then Noel said, ‘It was my doing anyhow, and I’m not afraid,’ and he walked straight up to the nearest soldier, who was cleaning his pipe with a piece of grass, and said—
‘Please, are you the enemy?’ The man said—
‘No, young Commander-in-Chief, we’re the English.’
Then Oswald took command. ‘Where is the General?’ he said.
‘We’re out of generals just now, Field-Marshal,’ the man said, and his voice was a gentleman’s voice. ‘Not a single one in stock. We might suit you in majors now—and captains are quite cheap. Competent corporals going for a song. And we have a very nice colonel, too quiet to ride or drive.’
Oswald does not mind chaff at proper times. But this was not one.
‘You seem to be taking it very easy,’ he said with disdainful expression.
‘This IS an easy,’ said the grey soldier, sucking at his pipe to see if it would draw.
‘I suppose YOU don’t care if the enemy gets into Maidstone or not!’ exclaimed Oswald bitterly. ‘If I were a soldier I’d rather die than be beaten.’
The soldier saluted. ‘Good old patriotic sentiment’ he said, smiling at the heart-felt boy.