‘Will you stop next time you pass?’
He said, ‘I’m afraid I can’t promise that.’
Alice said, ‘You might; there’s a particular reason.’
He said, ‘What?’ which was a natural remark; not rude, as it is with children. Alice said—
‘We want to give the soldiers a keepsake and will write to ask my father. He is very well off just now. Look here—if we’re not on the wall when you come by, don’t stop; but if we are, please, PLEASE do!’
The officer pulled his moustache and looked as if he did not know; but at last he said ‘Yes’, and we were very glad, though but Alice and Oswald knew the dark but pleasant scheme at present fermenting in their youthful nuts.
The captain talked a lot to us. At last Noel said—
‘I think you are like Diarmid of the Golden Collar. But I should like to see your sword out, and shining in the sun like burnished silver.’
The captain laughed and grasped the hilt of his good blade. But Oswald said hurriedly—
‘Don’t. Not yet. We shan’t ever have a chance like this. If you’d only show us the pursuing practice! Albert’s uncle knows it; but he only does it on an armchair, because he hasn’t a horse.’