All the same she let go Tiny's arm and ran quickly. And when she got into her dear little parlour that she'd arranged so cosy and stuffy and huggy-warm and tight up to the top with things, and Tiny's big chair one side the hearth where he was to have learned up E in the evenings, and her little one on the other side where she was to have heard him say it, she locked the door and sat down and began. Then Tiny came up outside. And when he heard what was going on inside, he tried hard to get in. But Baby wouldn't let him. So Tiny whispered with his mouth, close to the crack, "O, Baby, d'you forgive for this morning?" Then Baby came to the door, and undid a bit, and shoved her little finger through. So Tiny took it, and said, all sobby, "Best and booflest!--Gobbless. Gobbless. Gobbless. Amen. Amen. Amen. No more now. See you again some day. Bye. Goobye." And he ran out. 32 Then as the clock struck twelve the Colonel marched out of the Fort, with little Marwy, the regimental baa-lamb, on a string, and his sword drawn, saying, "Left-right! left-right!" And behind him came the Fellows saying in a sort of chorus, "Left-right! left-right!" And behind the Fellows came old Goly and the Boy, drawing the great cannon: which was really what Goly was for, only they used him for rides instead. And as they passed the Wood, the Commander-in-Chief sat on a gate, with his cocked hat on the back of his head and said to himself out loud, "And if they don't find a Fort then that proves they're no soldiers. So out of the Country they go for shams. And if they do, then I come and plough the lot in E. So guess I've got um either way." And he threw his legs about and laughed. But the Colonel walked on without a word: for he was grieved about the Commander-in-Chief. Then Tiny came by. And when the Commander-in-Chief saw him, he pointed his finger, and laughed till he had to wipe his eyes, rocking to and fro, and crying, "O dear! O dear! O dear!--Souse me, won't you?--It does make me laff so--you and Baby all settled in so cosy and comfie in your little home, and now turned out, and got to find a new house before night or leave the Country. E! E! E! Master Tiny! E! E! E!" But Tiny marched on quite brave and steady: for he was true to Baby, and what she had taught him; which was Love. Then St Jack laughed so that at last he toppled off the gate backwards on to his cocked hat, and bashed it. But he pulled himself together, and scrambled on his knees, and pelted stones at Goliath's back-view, which he couldn't help hitting, and yelled, "Fat beast! I'll have my ride yet, you'll see." But Goly did nothing, only went with a whisky tail: for old Goly knew about discipline. Only he stored it up in his memory for the future all the same. Then the Regiment marched on across the Common, only stopping to pat Methuselah under the thorn for the last time. [Illustration: THEN THE REGIMENT MARCHED ON]