It was impossible to suppress a smile at my grotesque appearance, carrying as I did the old blunderbuss, and I almost hoped that Major O—— did not recognise me, as he turned his back and looked out of the window.
The offence I had been guilty of having been notified, Major O——, still gazing on to the parade, enquired if any sentry was on duty at the time I fired. The information tendered being in my favour, Major O——, without deigning to inspect me, ordered the sergeant to proceed to my parents, and to request that I should not be permitted to handle so dangerous a weapon for the future.
Slight as the sentence might have appeared, yet to me it was a heavy one, as I was in no way prepared to face my father under the circumstances.
On my way home I explained to the sergeant that we knew Major O——, and I asked if he would mind going in the back way. To this proposition he assented, and fortunately so, as the first person encountered was our cook, who was a Scotchwoman and who espoused my cause, and insisted that the sergeant should take some refreshment in the kitchen before lodging his complaint in the parlour.
Cooky then stated that the captain was not at home, but that she would undertake to deliver any message appertaining to my delinquency, when the sergeant stated his orders from Major O——.
The cook observed that it was sure to be right, and that the major would be at our house that evening to a party.
Sure enough the major came, and I saw him, but the cook had failed to see my father, and the reticent major did not allude to the morning’s interview, but politely left me in doubt as to whether he knew me or not.
Among the various localities in which in some capacity or another I well remember to have figured, was Gillingham Reach; here we were accustomed to bathe, and three of us, viz., my brother, self, and Stanley R——, a schoolfellow, had been disporting ourselves one day for some time, where the stream ran fast, and I got out of my depth.
R—— was a splendid swimmer, and was far out in the tide, but I disappeared and was beyond the reach of my brother, who, like myself, could not swim.
Fortunately for me my friend Rudd was just in time to save my life, a service which I am proud to acknowledge in these pages with his full name.