Gil the Gunner | Page 6

paint himself up
for our glorification."

"Oh, if you all particularly wish it," I said, "I don't mind."
There was a roar of laughter at this; and to hide my annoyance, I joined
in, and was soon after spreading out jacket and coatee, striped trousers,
belts, and slings, all of which, after being duly admired, were donned
and exhibited in their proper places.
"Talk about pomp and vanity!" cried Morton.
"Don't be jealous," I replied, as I began to feel excited.
"I'm not a bit, Gil; but you might own to being proud as a peacock of
your togs. Come, you are--aren't you?"
"I suppose so," I said, as I involuntarily glanced at myself in the glass;
and then I felt hotter than ever, for I saw my fellow-pupils laughing,
and this was the signal for me to hurry out of the stiff embroidered
uniform as rapidly as I could.
But that night, when I went up to bed!
Well, I was very young then; and I suppose any boy of my age would
have been just as proud of his new uniform, all suggestive as it was of
sword and flashing steel, trampling horses, and spirit-stirring trumpet
and band.
My candle was a long time before it went out that night, but even then I
tried to salve my conscience--to make myself believe that it was not all
vanity, for I said that the things wanted trying on, and the buttons and
buttonholes were stiff. But at last everything was neatly folded up again
and put away, and I lay down to sleep and dream of my new career.
Somehow I only saw one side of a soldier's life just then. Perhaps if I
could have had the slightest idea of the horrors and dangers through
which I should have to pass, I might have shrunk away appalled, and
been glad to have taken to some more peaceful career.
CHAPTER THREE.

The good-byes were said, and I was sent off with a ringing cheer by my
old companions. My luggage had gone to the ship days before, and I
had only a couple of tin cases to take with me in the cab when I reached
London and was driven to the docks. Here, after going astray several
times, I at last found the great towering-sided Jumna, and went on
board with my belongings.
Everything was in confusion, for provisions were still being taken on
board along with passengers' luggage; and it was some time before I
could find any one in the busy crowd which thronged the deck, to show
me my cabin, which, to my disgust, I found contained a second berth
and several articles of luggage labelled, "Captain Brace, Calcutta," and
in smaller letters, "Cabin; wanted on voyage."
"Not much room for two," I thought, as my own luggage was brought
in, and I found by the number of my berth that I was to sleep on the
shelf-like bed above that on which a portion of the captain's luggage
lay.
Then, wondering what he would be like; whether he would be
agreeable, or disposed to look down upon me as a boy, I went back on
deck, and stood about watching the busy scene, and learning which was
the quarter-deck, steerage, forecastle, and the like. By virtue of being
an officer, I found myself at liberty to go where I pleased, and noted
which were passengers and which were leave-taking friends.
Then I had a good look at the officers and sailors, many of whom were
yellow-faced lascars with dark oily-looking eyes, whose whites seemed
to have an opalescent tinge.
Every one was busy, and a good many of the dock-men were up aloft
giving the finishing touches to the rigging, a great deal of which
seemed to be new. But somehow, as an idler, I seemed to be in
everybody's way, and was constantly being requested to make way, or
stand aside, or my leave was requested in tones rather insulting, as I
thought then.
Suddenly I remembered that General Crucie had said that a draft of

men was going out in the vessel, in charge of Captain Brace.
"I wonder where the men are," I said to myself; and at last, as I had
looked in vain for red or blue uniforms, I asked one of the sailors.
"Swaddies?" he said. "Oh yes. Forrard. There they are."
He pointed toward the head of the vessel as he hurried off in answer to
a shout from a red-faced man who was directing a gang of sailors
hauling at something up aloft which he called a yard, and I went
forward to have a look at the smart detachment of soldiers I was to help
to command.
The illusion was soon swept away, for the detachment was composed