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"Voltigeurs de la Garde," he roared in a voice like a trumpet call, and then again "Voltigeurs de la Garde!" He waved his hat above is head, and suddenly pitching forwards upon his face on the sand, he lay all huddled into a little brown heap. Jim Horscroft and I stood and stared at each other. The coming of the man had been so strange, and his questions, and now this sudden turn.
Jim Horscroft had lost everything, and he and I were setting out to fight against the French. It was all like a dream, until I tramped off to the coach that evening, and looked back at the grey farm steading and at the two little dark figures: my mother with her face sunk in her Shetland shawl, and my father waving his drover's stick to hearten me upon my way.
Horscroft of Ayton in it and his son Jim. The collar of the doctor's brown coat came over his ears, and he looked in a deadly black humour; for Jim, who was but fifteen years of age, had trooped off to Berwick at the first alarm with his father's new fowling piece.
"If you will come with me," said I, "I have little doubt that I can find you a bed for a night or two, and by that time you will be better able to make your own arrangements." He pulled off his hat, and bowed with all the grace imaginable. But Jim Horscroft pulled me by the sleeve, and led me aside. "You're mad, Jock," he whispered. "The fellow's a common adventurer.
It was this business of the burglar that first made a friendship between Jim Horscroft, the doctor's son, and me. He was cock boy of the school from the day he came; for within the hour he had thrown Barton, who had been cock before him, right through the big blackboard in the class-room.
He comes down of an evening, a real brave old soldier who had a ball in his knee under Wellington." "Ah, when I speak of men. Jack, I don't mean old folk with balls in their knees. I meant people of our own age that we could make friends of. By the way, that crabbed old doctor had a son, had he not?" "Oh yes, that's Jim Horscroft, my best friend." "Is he at home?" "No. He'll be home soon.
"Do you often take walks before breakfast, Mr. Horscroft?" she asked, still with that roguish smile. "Yes," said he, staring at her with all his eyes. "So do I, and generally over yonder," said she. "But you are not very hospitable to your friend, Jack. If you do not do the honours, I shall have to take your place for the credit of West Inch."
"Ach! you sicken me with your soft talk! I'll call her what she should be called!" "Will you, though?" said I, lugging off my coat. "Look you here, Jim Horscroft, if you say another word against her, I'll lick it down your throat, if you were as big as Berwick Castle! Try me and see!" He peeled off his coat down to the elbows, and then he slowly put it on again.
Jim Horscroft was away when Cousin Edie was with us, but he came back the very week she went; and I mind how surprised I was that he should ask any questions or take any interest in a mere lassie. He asked me if she were pretty; and when I said I hadn't noticed, he laughed and called me a mole, and said my eyes would be opened some day.
"I am to join my regiment as soon as I can; and we shall be over yonder in a month, and in Paris, maybe, before another one is over." "By the Lord, then, I'm with you, Major!" cried Jim Horscroft. "I'm not too proud to carry a musket, if you will put me in front of this Frenchman." "My lad, I'd be proud to have you serve under me," said the Major.
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