garden in which they could enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.
Skittles.
The prospect of promotion or the right to wear a good conduct badge was a great incentive to the recruits, and there was always great excitement when a new batch of promotions was issued. Dick and I were much amused one morning when we happened to peep into one of the huts and saw a two-year-old soldier trying to get a glimpse of himself in a small piece of broken looking-glass. He had just got his good-conduct badge, but, in the excitement of the moment, had pinned it on point downwards. This badge carries with it an extra penny a day. When a lance-corporal gets his stripe he gets an increase of 3d. per day; when he gets his second chevron his pay is 1s. 8d. per day; and the third, or sergeant's stripes, carries 2s. 4d. per day. Colour-sergeants get 3s., and staff-sergeants from 3s. 6d. to 5s. per day.
We were only in the ranks a few weeks before we got to be full corporals, and so got off the fatigue duty; but our last bit of fatigue work was amusing. We were both on fatigue duty, and the regiment had gone off early to take part in a field day some distance off; and Dick and I were left behind, and, amongst other things, had to whitewash the room. It was a fine summer day, and the work was soon done, with the only discomfort of aching wrists and a plentiful sprinkling of whitewash over ourselves. When it was dry, Dick said: "Now for a little adornment. I'm going to put this sketch life-size over the mantel, and give the dado a frill"; and he showed me a little sketch of the canteen, with himself at the piano—he could play a breakdown, or vamp an accompaniment fairly well—and one of the men was dancing a jig.
"There will be a shindy," said I.
"Never mind," said Dick, "they can but make us wash it over."
He fetched his jam-pot with the blacking in ready mixed, and, producing two brushes, he set to work, while I did the dado edging. I was not very successful, so Dick said, "You rough it out and leave the finishing to me."
It was tea-time before we heard the regimental band playing "When Johnny comes marching home again," but we had finished our work and cleared all away.
"A sketch of the canteen."
The men roared with delight when they
