"He's a good plucked un, you chaps, as I has good cause to know," he concluded. "Once he saved me from a bear as was near tearing me to pieces, and now he's fished a gent out of the river that's staying along with the Queen. He's made, is Phil Western, and'll get his stripes. What's more, I'll tell yer now, so as there won't be no mistakes. When the young un's corporal, we'll all treat him as such. Any chap as doesn't 'll have to square it up with me. So now yer know what to expect." With this final shot Tony pulled hard at his pipe and went off to find his friend. Phil had won his stripes without a doubt, but he had yet to go through the ordeal of receiving them. The very next day his name was down for commanding officer's orders, and when he marched into the orderly-room, and stood to attention in front of the green baize table, there was the colonel looking kindly at him, while a row of officers, no less interested in the young soldier who had behaved so gallantly, stood on either side. "Western, my lad, it is reported to me that you saved two lives from drowning yesterday," said the colonel. "I have made enquiries about it and find that you behaved nobly, and have been a credit to this regiment. I may tell you that your name has already been mentioned as deserving of promotion, and there is no doubt but that you would have received your stripes ere long. But now you may feel doubly proud of them, for you have gained them by an act of bravery, which is seldom the case unless on active service. From this date you are a full corporal. Now, my lad, get your stripes put on, for we shall want to see them on parade." Motionless, looking straight to his front, Phil listened as if in a dream. Then he blurted out, "Thank you, sir!" and a second later was obeying the order, "Right turn! Quick march!" Outside, by order of the colonel, the tailor was waiting for him, and within a quarter of an hour Phil was the proud possessor of two stripes on his right arm, the badge of a full corporal. "There you are, corporal," said the tailor. "They're fixed on strong, and I hope they'll never want to be taken off. Stick to 'em, and when the time comes I'll sew on another with all me heart. Now you'd better look lively. The `fall in' goes in a few minutes, and I hear there's something else for you to listen to." "Something else? Why, what?" asked Phil. "Well, some message came down from the castle, that's all I know of, but they're rigging up the platform on the square, so it looks like some show or other." Phil groaned dismally, and went to his barrack-room to smarten himself up, hoping that this new "show" could have nothing to do with himself.