Going to the hotel to which his luggage had been sent, he ordered a meal at once, and then, having eaten it, for he was hungry after his long journey, he strolled down to the wharf. He was shown into a room where the recruiting officer was sitting.
"I am thinking of enlisting, sir."
The officer looked at him sharply. "Have you thought what you are doing?" he said.
"Yes."
"You are not the style of recruit that comes to us. I suppose you have run away from school?"
"I have been sent away," Arthur said, "because I shoved some fireworks into one of the masters' rooms. It happened once or twice before, and my friends are tired of me. I have always been getting into rows, and they will be glad to be rid of me."
"You look more cut out for an officer than a private. How old are you?"
"I am past sixteen."
"It's young, but we are not particular as to age if a fellow is strong and active. The pay is rather better than the line here."
"It is not the pay, but the life that I want to see," the lad said. "My guardian has washed his hands of me for the present. I have neither father nor mother. I have never had a day's illness, and I fancy that I am as strong as the majority of your recruits will be. I shall come into some money when I am of age; and I don't know any way of passing the time till then that will suit me better than enlisting when there is some chance of fighting."