84 fS APPREHENDED. CHAP. v. 



butterfly." "A butter-devil!" "No! it was a 

 butter-/?/ / " " Stuff ! " said the corporal ; " are you 

 mad r " No ; I don't think I am." You look like 

 a madman ; and I'll tell you what it is, you'll have 

 to pay for this." "For what?" "For breaking 

 away from the ranks during drill I am sent to 

 arrest you and take you to the guardhouse : so come 

 along ! " And away they marched ; two militiamen 

 before, two behind, and Edward and the corporal in 

 the centre. By this time a number of persons had 

 collected, the younger people calling out to their com- 

 panions to come and see the mad militiaman. 



On crossing the links, the prisoner and his escort 

 encountered one of the officers of the regiment, accom- 

 panied by a group of ladies. " Where are you going 

 with that boy ? " said the officer, addressing the cor- 

 poral. "To the guardhouse!" "What? more in- 

 subordination ? " " Yes ! " " This is most dreadful ; 

 what has he done ? " " He broke the ranks during 

 drill, and although Sergeant Forbes called him back, 

 he ran away after what he calls a butterfly ! " There 

 was a short silence, after which the ladies were ob- 

 served tittering and laughing. " What did you say, 

 corporal ? " " He ran out of the ranks after a butter- 

 fly." "What? ran away from his exercise for the 

 sake of an insect ! Most extraordinary. Is he mad, 

 corporal ? " " Well, the sergeant thinks so ; and 

 that's the reason why I have got four men to 

 help me to take him ; but I don't think that he's 



