Corporal Sam | Page 3

well swept while we assault. The fact is,' said
Major Frazer, a tall Scotsman, speaking in his slow Scots way, 'we
assault it early to-morrow, and the general has asked me to find
volunteers.'
'For the forlorn hope, sir?' The sergeant flushed a little, over the
compliment paid to the Royals.

Major Frazer nodded. 'There's no need to make it common knowledge
just yet. I am allowed to pick my men, but I have no wish to spend the
night in choosing between volunteers. You understand?'
'Yes, sir. You will get a plenty without travelling outside the regiment.'
'Captain Archimbeau goes with us; and we thought, Wilkes, of asking
you to join the party.'
'You are very good, sir.' There was hesitation, though, in the sergeant's
manner, and Major Frazer perceived it.
'You understand,' he said coldly, 'that there is no obligation. I wouldn't
press a man for this kind of service, even if I could.'
The sergeant flushed. 'I was thinkin' of the regiment, sir,' he answered,
and turned to his captain. 'We shall have our men supportin'?--if I may
make bold to ask.'
'The Royals are to show the way at the great breach, with the 9th in
support. The 38th tackle the smaller breach. To make surer (as he says),
the general has a mind to strengthen us up in the centre with a picked
detachment of the whole division.'
Sergeant Wilkes shook his head. 'I am sorry for that, sir. 'Tisn't for me
to teach the general; but I misdoubt all mixin' up of regiments. What
the Royals can do they can best do by themselves.'
'Hurts your pride a bit, eh, sergeant?' asked the major, with a short
laugh. 'And yet, my friend, it was only yesterday I overheard you
telling your company they weren't fit to carry the slops of the Fifth
division.'
'It does 'em good, sir. A man, if he wants to do good, must say a trifle
more than he means, at times.'
'You can trust 'em, then?'
'And that again, sir--savin' your presence--would be sayin' more than I

mean. For the lads, sir, are young lads, though willing enough; and
young lads need to be nursed, however willing. As between you and me,
sir'--here he appealed to Captain Archimbeau--'B Company is the
steadiest in the battalion. But if the major takes away its captain, and
upon top of him its senior sergeant--well, beggin' your pardon, a
compliment's a compliment, but it may be bought too dear.'
'Wilkes is right,' said the major, after a pause. 'To take the both of you
would be risky; and unless I'm mistaken, Archimbeau, he thinks you
will be the easier spared.'
'I haven't a doubt he does,' agreed Captain Archimbeau, laughing.
'But I do not, sir.' The sergeant seemed on the point to say more, but
checked himself.
'Well?'
'It's not for me to give an opinion, sir, unless asked for it.'
'I ask for it, then--your plain opinion, as a soldier.'
'An officer's an officer--that's my opinion. There's good and bad, to be
sure; but an officer like the captain here, that the men can trust, is
harder spared than any sergeant: let alone that you can easily spread
officers too thick--even good ones, and even in a forlorn hope.'
'He wants my place,' said Captain Archimbeau; 'and he salves my
feelings with a testimonial.'
'As for that, sir'--the sergeant conceded a grin--'I reckon you won't be
far behind us when the trouble begins. And if the major wants a good
man from B Company, you'll agree with me, sir, that yonder he goes.'
And Sergeant Wilkes jerked a thumb after the tall young corporal, a
moment before the sandhills hid his retreating figure.
CHAPTER II.

The assault had been a muddle from the start.
To begin with, after being ordered for one day (July 23rd) it had been
deferred to the next; on reasonable grounds, indeed, for the town
immediately behind the great breach was burning like a furnace; but it
gave the troops an uneasy feeling that their leaders were distracted in
counsel. Nor, divided by the river, did the artillery and the stormers
work upon a mutual understanding. The heavy cannon, after a short
experiment to the left of the great breach, had shifted their fire to the
right of it, and had succeeded in knocking a practicable hole in it before
dusk. But either this change of plan had not been reported to the
trenches, or the officer directing the assault inexplicably failed to adapt
his dispositions to it. The troops for the great breach were filed out
ahead of the 38th, which had farther to go.
Worst of all, they were set in motion an hour before dawn, although
Wellington had left orders that fair daylight should be waited for, and