“No, sir; I never said anything. You see, I came out of prison, and I didn’t want to come back here, for if I had, I couldn’t ha’ kept away from the rabbits and birds, and I should have been in trouble again. You made me want to do better, sir, but I never seemed as if I could; and just then up comes a recruiting sergeant, just as I was hesitating, and I looked at him, and heard what he had to say, how the service would make a man of me.”
“And you took the shilling, Pete?”
“Yes, sir; and the best day’s work I ever did,” said Pete, speaking sharply, decisively, and with a manly carriage about him that made Tom stare. “I was was bombardier in two years, and a month ago I got my sergeant’s stripes.”
He gave a proud glance at the chevrons on his arm as he spoke.
“I’m very glad, Pete.”
“Thankye, sir. I knew you would be. You did it, sir.”
“I?”
“Yes, sir. Mr Maxted used to talk to me, but it was seeing what you were set me thinking so much; but there was no way, and I got into trouble. I’m off to Malta, sir, in a month. On furlough now, and down here to see the old woman.”
“Ah! She’s very feeble now, Pete.”
“Very, sir. She’s awfully old; but she knew me directly, and began to blow me up.”