_I certify that Terence O' Connor is going on for seventeen years of age, he is five feet eight in height, thirty-four inches round the chest, is active, and fully capable of the performance of his duties as an officer either at home or abroad._ Then he added another line and signed his name. "As a member of a learned profession, Colonel," he said, gravely, "I would scorn to tell a lie even for the son of Captain O'Connor;" and he passed the paper across to him. The colonel looked grave, and Captain O'Connor disappointed. He was reassured, however, when his commanding officer broke into a laugh. "That will do well, O'Flaherty," he said; "I thought that you would find some way of getting us out of the difficulty." "I have told the strict truth, Colonel," the doctor said, gravely. "I have certified that Terence O'Connor is going on for seventeen; I defy any man to say that he is not. He will get there one of these days, if a French bullet does not stop him on the way, a contingency that it is needless for me to mention." "I suppose that it is not strictly regular to omit the date of his birth," the colonel said; "but just at present I expect they are not very particular. I suppose that that will do, Mr. Cleary?" "I think that you can countersign that, Colonel," the adjutant said, with a laugh. "The Horse Guards do not move very rapidly, and by the time that letter gets to London we may be on board ship, and they would hardly bother to send a letter for further particulars to us in Spain, but will no doubt gazette him at once. The fact, too--which of course you will mention--that he is the son of the senior captain of your regiment, will in itself render them less likely to bother about the matter." "Well, just write out the letter of nomination, Cleary; I am a mighty bad hand at doing things neatly." The adjutant drew a sheet of foolscap to him and wrote:-- _To the Adjutant-general, Horse Guards,_ _Sir, I have the honour to inform you that, in accordance with the privilege granted to me in your communication of--_ and he looked at the colonel. "The 14th inst.," the latter said, after consulting the letter.