Captain Manley could not resist a smile. "Do you not go to school?"
"We did go to a school near, but unfortunately it is broken up."
Captain Manley caught a little look of amusement between the boys. "I should not be surprised if you had something to do with its breaking up," he said with a laugh. "But to return to your coming here. There is certainly less reason against your joining than I thought at first, but you are too young."
"We are both strong, and are good walkers," Tom said.
"But you cannot be much over fifteen," Captain Manley said, "and your brother is younger."
"We are accustomed to strong exercise, sir, and can thrash most fellows of our own size."
"Very likely," Captain Manley said, "but we can't take that into consideration. You are certainly young for buglers for service work; however, I will go across with you to the orderly-room, and hear what the colonel says."
Crossing the barrack-yard, they found the colonel was in and disengaged.
"Colonel Tritton," Captain Manley said, "these lads want to enlist as buglers."
The colonel looked up and smiled. "They look regular young pickles," he said. "I suppose they have run away from school."