Within reach of his hand there lay upon the table a loose bunch of ribbons, red, white, and blue, such as recruiting sergeants were wont to pin in the hats of their recruits. And Polson, toying with this, found that the bunch was held together at one end by a pin. He affixed it to his own cap. ‘Now,’ he said, putting on the cap and rising to his feet, ‘the trick’s done.’ ‘Oh, dear no!’ said Volnay. ‘The trick isn’t done yet, old fellow. You’ve got to be formally enlisted, and to answer a rigmarole of questions, and be examined by the regimental doctor, and to take the oath. The trick isn’t done yet, by a long chalk.’ ‘Well,’ said Polson, ‘I shall take it as a favour if you’ll put me through with as little waste of time as possible, for, to tell you the truth, I want that shilling, and the sooner I get it the nearer I shall be to bread and cheese.’ ‘Oh!’ said Volnay, ‘I ain’t curious, old chap. I’m not a bit curious; but if you can do it, I should like you to take me into your confidence, because I might be of some use. I’m stinking rich, you know--disgracefully rich. And if that fact’s any good to you, why you’ve only to say so, and I’m your man.’ ‘Oh, no, it isn’t money, Volnay. If it had been, I shouldn’t have made any scruple about saying so. I can’t talk about it. It’s likely enough that you may hear everything in time.’ ‘There’s no changing you?’ Volnay asked. ‘There’s no getting you to wait for a week?’ ‘There’s no changing me,’ Polson answered, ‘and no getting me to wait.’ ‘Oh, very well,’ said Volnay. ‘Just take that and cut across to the canteen and get some breakfast. Come back here in a quarter of an hour’s time, and I’ll put you through. You needn’t scruple about taking it: you can pay me back, for there’s a five-pound bounty, ready money, declared yesterday, and you’ll have it handed over to you on enlisting.’