At lunch next day there were four of us--Kingston, Sir Edward Braddon, Premier of Tasmania, Sir John Forrest, Premier of Western Australia, and your humble servant. Both Sir Edward and Sir John were old friends of mine. After lunch Kingston asked me if I knew the Premiers of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland well. I told him I knew George Reid (New South Wales) very well, but I knew nothing much about the Premiers of Victoria or Queensland personally. "Well," he said, "see George Reid at once, tell him what you want and the reason why, and let me know what he says about it." I saw George Reid during the afternoon, explained the situation to him, and asked him for his support. He informed me that he had already been approached on behalf of another officer by some of his supporters, but had not given a definite answer, and he felt that he could not very well support me, who was in no way connected with New South Wales. "You see," he added, "there are six colonies concerned. Now, have you got three Premiers to support you?" I said "Yes." (My three friends at lunch.) "Well, then," he went on, "if I remain neutral and decline to vote you will have three votes to two in your favour, and thus carry the day, even if the other two vote against you." With a hearty shake of his hand and grateful feelings I left him. In the evening I reported to Kingston the result of my interview with George Reid. I felt I had succeeded as regarded the inspectorship of stores. But what about retaining my appointment as Commandant of South Australia while I was away? I had just returned after an absence of six months. Was it likely that the important position of Commandant was to continue to be filled by a _locum tenens_ for a further period of one whole year? Kingston did not keep me long in suspense. "Well done, Reid!" he said. "That settles your going. I will see that you do not lose your appointment of Commandant as long as I am Premier. Get straight back to Adelaide and say absolutely nothing to anyone. Act as if you were going to stay, but be ready to get on a steamer homeward bound as soon as you hear from me. Good-bye and good luck." So we parted, and I found my way back to Adelaide by the first coastal boat. The day after my arrival there the mail steamer _Victoria_ was due to leave, homeward bound, at midnight. In the afternoon of that day I got an official letter from the office of the South Australian Premier notifying me that I had been appointed Military Adviser and Inspector of Warlike Stores for the Australian Colonies, Queensland being the only objector. You can imagine the surprise my departure caused, but I was away in the ss. _Victoria_, well into the Australian Bight, making westwards, when the news of my new appointment appeared in next day's morning papers. This was now my sixth voyage to and from Australia, and was as pleasant as its predecessors. CHAPTER IX MILITARY ADVISER TO THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES IN LONDON