With this Sarah had to content herself, and she went back to the nursery. Robert was nowhere to be seen, and made no reply to her summons. On this the unwary nurse-maid flounced into the bed-room to look for him, when Robert, who was hidden beneath a table, darted forth, and promptly locked her in.
“You’re under arrest,” he shouted, through the key-hole.
“Let me out!” shrieked Sarah.
“I’ll send a file of the guard to fetch you to the orderly-room, by-and-by,” said Robert, “for ‘preferring frivolous complaints.’ ” And he departed to the farm-yard to look at the ducks.
That night, when Robert went up to bed, the Captain quietly locked him into his dressing-room, from which the bed had been removed.
“You’re for sentry duty, to-night,” said the Captain. “The carpet-brush is in the corner. Good-evening.”
As his father anticipated, Robert was soon tired of the sentry game in these new circumstances, and long before the night had half worn away he wished himself safely undressed and in his own comfortable bed. At half-past twelve o’clock he felt as if he could bear it no longer, and knocked at the Captain’s door.
“Who goes there?” said the Captain.
“Mayn’t I go to bed, please?” whined poor Robert.
“Certainly not,” said the Captain. “You’re on duty.”