“We are off
to the Front!” cried the three children when they were ready for their walk.
“Have you
got all you want for the Front?” asked their mother, laughing.
“Yes,
everything,” said May. “Tom has a drum and Bertie a bugle, and I am the rest of
the army.”
“Very well.
Don't be too long at the War, because tea will soon be ready. Better go to meet
your father.”
“So we
will!”
And away
went the three over the white snow in the bright winter day; Tom beating the
drum till it was a wonder the parchment did not burst, and Bertie blowing the
bugle till he had hardly any breath left. What a splendid noise they all made
together! Birds flew out of the hedges and rabbits scuttled away as the army
marched on, feeling very warlike indeed; and presently met the army's father.
“Please be
our General, father,” they begged, “and lead us against the enemy.”
“Certainly,”
he replied; “but first we will return to camp and storm the tea-table.”
So home they
went in the same fashion, with drum beating and bugle blowing.
After tea,
the younger children also volunteered for the Front, and Uncle Bob was little
Dick's horse, for of course cavalry was needed. How Uncle Bob pranced and galloped!
The trumpeter nearly fell off his back, but went on blowing the trumpet all the
same. Uncle Bob told him to blow it well away from the horse's ears, so Dick
sat backwards. As for Baby, big brother Gerald put him on the rocking-horse, to
be a rough-rider.
“The great
thing is to learn to stick on,” said Gerald, “because you will find falling off
is very easy. Hold the horse's nose, Nellie; it seems rather a wild one.”
At last
everybody joined the army, except the cat. She sat on a chair and turned up her
whiskers; for cats like peace and quietness, and there cannot be much of either
when soldiers go to the Front.
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