"I've taken nearly fifty for
Trials, and this is what's left." Burgard smiled.
"I'm very sorry," he said to the crowd, "but C Company's full."
"Excuse me, Sir," said a man, "but wouldn't sea-time count in my favour?
I've put in three months with the Fleet. Small quick-firers, Sir? Company
guns? Any sort of light machinery?"
"Come away," said a voice behind. "They've chucked the best farrier
between Hull and Dewsbury. Think they'll take _you_ an' your potty quick-
firers?"
The speaker turned on his heel and swore.
"Oh, damn the Guard, by all means!" said Sergeant Purvis, collecting his
papers. "D'you suppose it's any pleasure to _me_ to reject chaps of your
build and make? Vote us a second Guard battalion and we'll accommodate
you. Now, you can come into Schools and watch Trials if you like."
Most of the men accepted his invitation, but a few walked away angrily. I
followed from the smoking-room across a wide corridor into a riding-
school, under whose roof the voices of the few hundred assembled wandered
in lost echoes.
"I'll leave you, if you don't mind," said Burgard. "Company officers
aren't supposed to assist at these games. Here, Matthews!" He called to a
private and put me in his charge.
In the centre of the vast floor my astonished eyes beheld a group of
stripped men; the pink of their bodies startling the tan.
"These are our crowd," said Matthews.
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