In a short time the general called his aide-de-camp, and our young warrior looked out for squalls. He followed his lordship to the door, saw him get into his carriage, and heard him give the order, ‘To the main guard!’ Away flew the fiery steeds. On arrival of the general, ‘Guard turn out!’ was shouted. Everything was correct. The officer was at his post, and reported ‘all correct.’ This ought to have been sufficient for the visiting officer, and satisfied him that he had made a mistake, but, if all stories be true, the then commander-in-chief at Portsmouth never made a mistake, _in his own opinion_. He called the young officer to him, and asked him, ‘Did I not see you, a few moments ago, in the Southsea ball-room?’ And the only reply he got was, ‘How could that be, sir, as I am now here in command of my guard?’ So the older wise one departed, and the younger retired to his guard-room to smoke and dream. But the affair was not over. Next morning the A.D.C. arrived at our subaltern quarters, requesting his attendance at Lord ----’s house, and our friend went at once. The general, I have always been told, was very kind-hearted. He received the young officer most courteously, and then said, ‘Mr. ----, the guard you were on is a thing of the past. We meet now as friends. I want to know how the mischief you ever managed to get to your guard, for I am positive I saw you in the ball-room.’ On receiving the reply: ‘Behind your lordship’s carriage!’ it may be imagined how the general laughed, and, no doubt, was of opinion that the young officer had shown a great deal of cleverness in getting out of what might have been a serious scrape. This escapade recalls to my memory a story I heard given by a most amusing _raconteur_ in Scotland. The colonel of a regiment quartered in Edinburgh Castle had been much annoyed at the number of men who not only were brought up to the orderly-room for drunkenness, but also for absence without leave, so he was determined to make an example of some one on the first opportunity. One morning the regiment was on parade, and a private soldier appeared with his coat all muddy and his cap in a battered condition, quite sober, but evidently having been engaged in a row, and ‘absent all night.’ Here was a ‘horrid example.’ So the colonel ordered a corporal’s guard to make the man a prisoner, and, forming the regiment in line, he marched the culprit in front, so that every soldier might see him. On arriving at the left flank of the line the prisoner saluted, and said, ‘Thank you, colonel; it is one of the finest regiments I ever saw. You may dismiss them,’ which rather altered the colonel’s intentions with regard to this ‘horrid example!’