ing: "I've drew Alf into there. 'Is persition ain't tenable. Say it ain't tenable, Guard!" I rode round the position, and Alf with his army came out of his cowhouse an' sat on the roof and protested like a—like a Militia Colonel; but the facts were in favour of my friend and I umpired according. Well, Alf abode by my decision. I explained it to him at length, and he solemnly paid up his head-money—farthing points if you please!'
'Did they pay you umpire's fee?' said Kyd. 'I umpired a whole afternoon once for a village school at home, and they stood me a bottle of hot ginger beer.'
'I compromised on a halfpenny—a sticky one—or I'd have hurt their feelings,' said Pigeon gravely. 'But I gave 'em sixpence back.'
'How were they manœuvring and what with?' I asked.
'Oh, by whistle and hand-signal. They had the dummy Board School guns and flags for positions, but they were rushing their attack much too quick for that open country. I told 'em so, and they admitted it.'
'But who taught 'em?' I said.
'They had learned in their schools, of course, like the rest of us. They were all of 'em over ten; and squad-drill begins when they're eight. They knew their company-drill a heap better than they knew their King's English.'
'How much drill do the boys put in?' I asked.
'All boys begin physical-drill to music in the Board Schools when they're six; squad-drill, one
