"Those were days, sir,--days--days of--" he put a hand on the lintel as though the memory was too much for him. "Egad, sir, they _were_ days. Fisher was a boy, sir, Lavington will tell you, sir--General Lavington, God bless him--ninety-two to-day, sir--we've drunk his health at the 'Rag' to-night. A great Speeeech ... a wunnerful man ... ninety-two, not much longer, sir, any of us. An' here we are, in a Perdiferous house--pardon me, it's a great night--with foreign meat, cats, parrots and a shilling in the slot. If any had a' known on China station that Charlie Fisher would have been living in this manag--menag--caravanserai, as Omar would say--You've seen 'em, sir,--the blighted blossom of India! Ha! Ha! An' the eunuchs--yes, sir, that's what they are! Pouff!" Here Captain Fisher steadied himself from a fitful gust of indignation. "Now there's a gel out to-night-- _Take a pair of sparklin' eyes an' a--_" hummed the Captain. "You'll see her, sir, what a glorious vision! Wants breaking, sir! A high stepper like her father's fillies, but what a head--what a--I'm a connoisseur too, in my day, Dandy Fisher they call me. China Station twelve years, twelve years Malta, Gold Coast--" "So you said, sir," interrupted John, breaking the circle. "You're a fine lad," exclaimed the Captain, looking at him keenly. "Just such a lad as mine, God bless 'im. What's y'name?" "Dean, sir--John Dean." "John--ha! so's mine--God bless him--dear ol' John--dear ol' John." He swayed a little, as he surveyed his waistcoat. "He was your age too, and his hair too--just such hair--the gels loved him--dear ol' John." "Is he--is he dead, sir?" asked John. The old man straightened himself proudly. "For his King and Country, sir--in the Boer War--an' a V.C., sir,--a V.C.--God bless 'im." A tear trickled down his nose. "The last to leave me--the last. General Lavington said to-night--ninety-two, sir, he is, he referred to John, he knew 'im--signed his first papers, sir--dear ol' John. Come and have a drink, me lad." Captain Fisher turned and put a shaking hand on the banisters. "Not to-night, sir, thank you, it's late." "So 'tis--so 'tis. Good night, my lad. God bless you!" "Good night, sir!" John waited until the broken old man reached his room, and then closed his door.