"
"Lion! What's to do here wi' lions?" asked Maclachlan.
"As I'm only a volunteer," answered the Colonel, "and not yet a man of
authority under the Prince's commission, which you are, I must ask your
leave to explain that our getting into Leek is a military problem. I grant
ye it's a little problem, since it wouldn't matter a pinch of snuff if we
marched in and every one of us was promptly hanged in the market-place.
But I undertook to make Oliver here a soldier, and, damme, what you want
to do isn't soldiership, and he'll only learn soldiership by mastering the
little problems first."
"Like sums at school," said I, whereat Margaret laughed aloud.
"Damme, you young rascal," stormed the Colonel, "if I'd got my commission
in my pocket, I'd put you under arrest for impertinence."
"With great respect, sir," I answered, "I beg to say that I understand
that, at a council of war, the youngest officer gives his opinion first."
"That's bowled you over, dad," said Margaret cheerfully.
"Damme, I'll bowl you off to Chester to-night," he retorted. "As sure as
a gun's a gun, you'll ruin Oliver.
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