The presentation over, the troops marched past. Lord Cardigan, on the horse he had ridden in the celebrated charge, led by at a gallop his regiment, the 11th Hussars, many a Balaclava man still serving with them; and the Inniskilling Dragoons were also on the ground. When the Queen left the ground a mad rush was made by the crowd to shake hands with the newly decorated heroes; but Jack, with the recollection of their reception in Ireland fresh in his mind, had arranged with his uncle Colonel Harrington, who had his carriage on the ground, into which Jack and Barrymore got directly the Queen went, and were driven off to Regent’s Park Terrace, to the town house of Colonel Harrington. There a number of our old friends were assembled. A dinner-party was being held in Jack’s honour that night, and Colonel Harrington had told Jack he could ask whoever he liked. Colonel Norreys and Captain Leland were there, and Jack determined to have his humbler friends Will Hodson and Jimmy Linham, who were honoured guests. Colonel Harrington had asked Colonel Leland and Jack’s old colonel, then a General, who came with Linham. These two lived together, Linham being ostensibly General Rawlence’s valet; in reality he was a companion, and the two were never happy out of each other’s sight. Jimmy’s wounds had healed, and he was cured except that he walked with a stiff leg. During the afternoon a servant approached Jack and said a young gentleman and an old lady had called, and begged a minute’s interview. Jack immediately went to the drawing-room, where he saw a ruddy-looking, fair young man, whose empty sleeve buttoned to his coat showed he had only one arm. This young man coloured when he saw Jack, and began, ‘Pardon my liberty in calling; but being in London I couldn’t go without’---- ‘Tom, Tom, dear old Tom Callon!’ cried Jack, seizing him by his one hand, ‘this is indeed the only thing wanting to complete my happiness.’ ‘This is kind, sir, most kind,’ said Tom, ‘to greet me like this. Of course now you’re an officer and a V.C.’ ‘Bosh and nonsense. My old comrades, who shared the dangers of the Crimea with me, I am and always shall be happy to see.’ The old lady here had to shed a few tears. ‘Is this the gentleman, Tom, as saved your life?’ she asked gently. ‘Yes, mother, this is the Jack--I mean Mr Blair--I’ve so often told you about.’ ‘Indeed, sir,’ said the old lady dropping a curtsey, ‘he talks of you by the hour. If an old woman’s blessings and prayers are of any value you have mine, for you saved to me my son, my only boy, and now my sole support.” ‘Say no more, Mrs Callon. What I did for Tom he would have done for me. We all did our best in the war.’ ‘It’s most kind of you to say so, sir, and coming from one who this very day I saw our blessed Queen, with her own hands, present a medal to, I take the liberty of saying it’s a great honour, and if you would shake hands with me’----