"Yes, I have served before." "Infantry or cavalry?" "The infantry; but I can ride." "Have you your papers of discharge?" "No." "Have you any one to speak to your character?" "No one here. I only landed this morning by the _Thalia_, which came in from England last night." "That is awkward," the officer said. "You know that as a rule we only enlist in England, and only take applicants of good character." "I am aware of that, sir; but as just at present you are likely to want men who can fight, character is not of so much importance." The adjutant smiled, and again scrutinised the applicant closely. "The man has been an officer," he said to himself. "Well, that is nothing to me; he has the cut of a soldier all over." "Do you know the conditions of service? You provide your own horse and uniform. Government provides arms. In the event of your not being able to find your horse and uniform, Government will--as it is anxious to fill up the ranks as soon as possible--provide them, and stop the money from your pay." "I can provide horse and uniform." "Very well, then, I will take you," the officer said. "I enlist as Harry Blunt. I may say, sir, that I should feel very greatly obliged if, as I know my duty, you would post me to a troop already up the country instead of to one of those you are raising, and who will have to learn their drill and how to sit a horse before they can be sent up on active duty." "I can do that," the officer said; "it is only yesterday that we called for recruits, and we have only had two or three applications at present; there is a draft going on to Port Elizabeth next week, and if I find that you are, as you say, up in your drill, I will send you up with them." "Thank you, sir, I am very much obliged to you." "The major will be here at four o'clock," the adjutant said; "come in at that time, and you can be attested and sworn in." "After all," Ronald Mervyn said to himself, as he strode away, "there's nothing like soldiering. I know I should have fretted for the old work if I had settled down on a farm, or even if I had gone in, as I half thought of doing, for shooting for a year or so before settling down. If these natives really mean to make trouble, we shall have an exciting time of it, for the men I have talked with who fought in the last war here say that they have any amount of pluck, and are enemies not to be despised. Now I will be off and look for a horse. I'd better not order my uniform until I am sworn in; the major may, perhaps, refuse me on the ground of want of character." He went up to two or three young farmers who were standing talking in the street. "I am a stranger, gentlemen, and have just landed. I want to buy a good horse; can you tell me what is the best way to set about it?"