"
"Is that all?" asked Dudley, with disappointment in his tone.
"Did the men stop swearing?" asked Roy.
"As far as I can remember, they did. The corporal rebuked them, and
lights were put out, but that boy was braver than many a hero on the
battlefield."
The boys' faces fell.
"But that was not what we call a brave deed," said Roy, at length. "Of
course it was splendid of him, but it wouldn't get him the Victoria
Cross."
"No, only a crown of everlasting life, and a word of commendation from
the King of Kings," said the colonel, in a strangely quiet voice; but
Roy's expressive little face kindled at once, and he said no more. They
went into the dining-room to lunch soon, and the boys were too busy
enjoying the good things before them to talk much to their elders. After
it was over General Newton sent them out for a run in the garden. And
then when they came in, he asked them if they would like to come
upstairs to his old picture gallery.
"I am going to take my friend up, and you can come, too."
The boys were delighted; they had often heard of this gallery, but had
never been in it as General Newton kept it locked up, and very rarely
opened it.
"I have some gems amongst the portraits," he said to Colonel Manning as
he unlocked a door in the passage, and led them into a long dusky
corridor; "I will pull up the blinds and then we shall see.
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