well. But the Colonel, who has since found
out the mistake that he made in not weighing
the individual character of Sir Doodle,
forwarded the case on to him, through
the Brigadier, in the regular way; the young
gentlemen meanwhile remaining under arrest.
The Colonel, also saw Sir Doodle privately,
and pointed out to him, so far as he could
make himself understood, that a severe reprimand
was all that was required. Sir Doodle
however, did not view the matter in this light,
and forwarded the proceedings to the
Commander-in-Chief, at Simlah. After a fortnight's
delay, during which time those two boys have
been confined to their respective bungalows,
the order has come down for a general court
martial, to assemble and try them. This will
involve a further imprisonment of some three
or four weeks; for the chief is sure to find
fault with the courts presiding, and send back
the proceedings for revision, and
reconsideration, previous to confirming and
approving of them."

"And what do you suppose will be the
upshot? " I asked.

"That the lads will be released, or ordered
to return to their duty," said the Major.
"Have you ever witnessed a military court
martial ?"

"No."

"Then I would advise you to witness this."

On the following day, a frightfully hot
day, the thermometer being at ninety-two,
I accompanied my friend in his buggy to
the mess-room of the regiment, where I
beheld some five and twenty officers in
full-dress. All these officers were in some way or
other connected with the trial; besides
these there were present some five and thirty
officers in red or blue jackets, but without
their swords; these were spectators. It
was altogether a very imposing scene;
especially when the thirteen members took
their seats around the table, the President in
the centre, and the Deputy-Judge-Advocate
of the division opposite to him; the prisoners
standing behind the chair of the
Deputy-Judge-Advocate-General. The lads were
now perfectly reconciled to each other, and
as good friends as ever. Indeed, on the
morning that followed their use of the one
very objectionable little word, mutual apologies
and expressions of regret passed between
them; and, in so far as the settling of the
quarrel between themselves was concerned,
it was most judiciously and satisfactorily
arranged by their respective friends.

The Court having been duly sworn, and the
charges read aloud by the Deputy-Judge-
Advocate-General, the prisoners were called upon
to plead. Both of them wished to plead guilty,
and said so, in a low tone to the Deputy-
Judge-Advocate-General, who in an equally
low tone of voice, said:—

"No, don't do that; say ' Not guilty.'"

"But look here, my dear fellow; " said one
of the prisoners to the functionary (officer),
who was the prosecutor on the occasion;
"what's the use of denying it ? We did make
two fools of ourselves."

"Yes, what's the use of wasting time ?"
said the other prisoner.

"If we plead guilty, there's an end of it,
and the Court can sentence us at once, and
send the papers up to Simlah. by to-night's
post. I am sick of that cursed bungalow of
mine, and want to have a change of air."

"Well, do as you like," said the Deputy-
Judge-Advocate. " But my advice is that you
plead Not guilty, and then in your defence you
can put forth whatever you please in extenuation,
and mitigation of the punishment."

"But here we are brought up for calling
each other liars, in a moment of passion, and
if we say we did not call each other liars, we
are liars." " And, what is more, we are liars
in cold blood," urged one of the prisoners.

"Will you admit that you were drunk?"
said the Deputy-Judge-Advocate-General.

"No," they both called out. "We were
not strictly sober perhaps. But where is it
about being drunk? We didn't see that in
the charge."

"Yes, here it is, in the second instance of
of the second charge, ' having while in a state
of intoxication at the mess table of Her
Majesty's—Regiment of Foot, on the night
&c., &c., &c.'"

"Oh! that's an infamous falsehood, you
know. Who said that? Not Captain Stansfield,
who put us under arrest? If he swears
that, he shall answer for it. Intoxicated!
not a bit of it! Screwed, nothing more!"
cried the younger officer in a sort of stage
whisper. " On my honour, as an officer and a
gentleman, nothing more."

"These charges have come down from
headquarters, having been prepared in the office of
the Judge-Advocate-General."

"Who is he? What's his name ? " asked
the prisoners.

"Colonel Birch," was the reply.

"Then he shall give up his authority."

"Well, plead Not guilty, and you will have
it."

"Very well then, off she goes; ' Not
guilty! ' Fifty not guilties, if you like, on
that point."

While this little, but interesting debate
was pending between the prosecutor and the
prisoners, the various members of the Court
were holding with each other a little
miscellaneous conversation, or otherwise amusing
themselves.

Colonel Jackstone, of the native infantry
(who was the president of the court martial, in
virtue of the seniority of his rank) was talking
to Colonel Colverly,of the dragoons, about some
extraordinary ailment of his wife which
required the constant administration of brandy
and soda-water, in order to keep her alive.
It was a low, sinking fever, he said, from which
she had suffered for the last six or seven
years, at intervals of three months; and it