Chapter XI: Jack Receives Visitors

Next morning Jack felt much better. He got up, and, being excused from duty, sat outside his tent in the warm autumn sunshine, much interested in the crowd of sight-seers who thronged amongst the tents, talking and laughing and apparently enjoying themselves.

During the afternoon he saw a figure in Hussar uniform threading his way among the tents. He stopped and spoke to a Lancer, who pointed over in Jack’s direction, when the Hussar came straight towards him.

Jack saw the stranger was a trumpeter apparently about his own age. He looked at Jack, then with a genial smile came up and held out his hand.

‘It’s glad I am to see ye sitting there, honey,’ he said with an Irish brogue. ‘Shure, I made certain ye’d be in the sawdust.’

‘Thanks,’ said Jack; ‘I hope to be fit for duty to-morrow.’

‘I hope ye will; but bedad, whin I see ye go over yesterday I sez, shure we’ll be having a grand military funeral directly. I was close to ye, and could see yer horse had bolted; I went after ye wid one or two of yours.’

‘Yes, I made a fine exhibition of myself,’ said Jack grimly.

‘Faix, ye did a gallant thing, comrade. Ye managed that horse of yers in a way that would have done credit to a rough-rider. It’s here I am to tell ye so.’

Jack looked questioningly at the Irish trumpeter, who had a merry face and roguish eye.

‘Ye’re perhaps wondering who the dickens I am, and what for should I be blathering to ye. Well, I’m Larry O’Callaghan, full thrumpeter, A Troop, 8th Royal Irish Hussars, son of the late thrumpet-major of the rigiment, and, plase the saints, I intind to be thrumpet-major meself some day.’

‘I’m glad to know you, Larry,’ said Jack. ‘My name’s Blair--Jack Blair.’

‘I’m glad to know ye, comrade. I took a fancy to ye when I see ye fighting wid that mare of yers. And now, I want to know who was the mane thafe of the wurrld who played ye such a dhirty trick yesterday. I’m open to punch his head for him, whoever he is.’

Jack looked at Larry inquiringly.

‘Av coorse I haven’t tould ye yet. ‘Twas I, ye know, who caught the mare and held her when she was trying to kick her head off. The saddle had shifted, and after some of yers had come up and held the mare, one of yer sargints told me to fix the saddle again. When I undid the girths to twist the saddle round I found these;’ and the young Hussar produced from inside his jacket two large chestnut burrs, hard and prickly. ‘These had bin shoved in under the girths,’ he said, ‘and was prickin’ and tearin’ her till she was almost mad.’

Jack took the burrs in his hand. They were covered with bay hairs and stained with blood. An angry frown settled on his face.

‘This is too bad,’ he muttered.

‘Much too bad, comrade,’ said Larry earnestly. ‘The man who played ye that trick wanted ye to break yer neck.’

In a flash Jack recalled the fact of having seen Napper sneaking from the little arbour of the inn on the day before. Had he done this? It was just after that time that Dainty had grown so restless. Jack, however, determined to say nothing till he had proof.

Larry and Jack sat talking for some time, enjoying the sight of the hundreds of visitors to the camp, and laughing at many of the remarks they made about things military.

Suddenly Sergeant Linham appeared before them. ‘Ha, hum!’ he snorted. ‘Here, you 8th Hussar man, what are you doing here? The men are to keep in their own lines to-day; general order.’ And he blew violently down his nose.

‘All right, sargint darlint,’ said Larry, ‘though ye needn’t blow yer nose off. I came over from our colonel to ask how was the thrumpeter who was hurt yesterday.’

‘Oh indeed, ha, yes! thoughtful and kind, very. But you’d better go. Right-about turn! Quick march!’ Then to Jack he said hurriedly, ‘Mr Leland and some friends are on their way to see you. Pull down your jacket, and your cap’s not right--so; that’s better. You ought to be in full-dress, you know. ‘Pon my word, the service is going to the dogs, absolutely to the dogs. I want to know what the---- ‘Shun!’

Jack and Larry at once stood up and saluted as Cornet Leland, in uniform, with a tall, white-headed old gentleman and a young and very handsome lady, leading a dear little curly-haired boy by the hand, suddenly appeared.

‘Good-afternoon, Blair. How are you feeling?’ asked the cornet, who was not much older than Jack himself.

‘Much better, thank you, sir. I was only shaken yesterday. I shall be able to march to-morrow with the regiment.’

‘That’s right.--This is the trumpeter whose horse bolted yesterday.--Blair, this is my uncle, Colonel George Leland. The little boy who almost got under your horse’s hoofs yesterday is his grandson.’

Jack turned very red, saluted, and began to apologise. But the old colonel cut him short, said some most complimentary things to him, in which the lady joined, and chatted for some time. He saw at once that Jack was many cuts above the ordinary ‘boy-trumpeter,’ and did not attempt to offer him money. He said, however, that he knew Jack’s colonel well, and that he would see that his action should not go unnoticed.

Looking at Larry, the colonel recognised him as the Hussar who had helped to stop Jack’s horse, and after complimenting him on his plucky deed dropped a couple of sovereigns into Larry’s palm.

‘May the ten blessings fall upon ye and yers, colonel,’ cried the delighted Larry, saluting him. Then wishing Jack good-bye, he said he would run over in the morning and see him before his regiment marched off.

On his way back to the lines of the Hussars, Larry had to pass the large canteen, and Sergeant Linham went with him to see he didn’t ‘lose his way.’

Soon after the Lelands had gone, a basket of fruit arrived for ‘Trumpeter Blair,’ and Will Hodson came up just at the same time. Will had to chaff Jack about this; but Jack told him not to be a donkey, and related the history of the chestnut burrs which Larry O’Callaghan had left with him. Will’s face grew scarlet with rage. ‘This is too much,’ he said. ‘It’s murder, no less. It must be reported to the colonel. Napper must go; we won’t mix with him.’

‘Steady, Will; remember we’ve no proof. I certainly saw Napper in the arbour of the inn; but that is all. No one saw him tampering with Dainty. Oblige me, Will, by saying nothing yet.’

Next morning Jack reported himself fit for duty. He saw nothing of Napper, nor did he want to. Before the Hussars marched off Larry came across and wished Jack good-bye, saying he hoped they would soon meet again.

Jack was preparing to parade with the rest of his regiment when Sergeant Barrymore came up to him. ‘Jack, my boy,’ he said, ‘I’ve good news for you. We’re going on detachment duty to Hampton Court to relieve F Troop, which is to return to the regiment “to be smartened up,” as the adjutant says.’

Jack was as pleased as anybody at the change, and so it happened that when the ‘Death or Glory Boys’ marched off, Jack’s troop was left behind to make their way to Hampton Court.