The
women like it."
"All this," I said politely, but intensely, "is the raving of delirium.
Where may your precious recruit who needn't live in barracks learn his
drill?"
"At his precious school, my child, like the rest of us. The notion of
allowing a human being to reach his twentieth year before asking him to
put his feet in the first position _was_ raving lunacy if you like!" Boy
Bayley dived back into the conversation.
"Very good," I said meekly. "I accept the virtuous plumber who puts in
two months of his valuable time at Aldershot----"
"Aldershot!" The table exploded. I felt a little annoyed.
"A camp in an Area is not exactly Aldershot," said Burgard. "The Line
isn't exactly what you fancy. Some of them even come to _us_!"
"You recruit from 'em?"
"I beg your pardon," said Devine with mock solemnity. "The Guard doesn't
recruit. It selects."
"It would," I said, "with a Spiers and Pond restaurant; pretty girls to
play with; and----"
"A room apiece, four bob a day and all found," said Verschoyle. "Don't
forget that."
"Of course!" I said. "It probably beats off recruits with a club."
"No, with the ballot-box," said Verschoyle, laughing. "At least in all
R.C. companies."
"I didn't know Roman Catholics were so particular," I ventured.
They grinned. "R.C. companies," said the Boy, "mean Right of Choice. When
a company has been very good and pious for a long time it may, if the
C.
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