26 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



Having filled up that unpleasant document, and 

 dismissed the dragoon, the next morning saw me in the 

 Orderly Ptoom, before the late Sir Henry Bouverie and 

 Captain Wedderhurn, who was then, I think, adjutant. 

 Sir Henry said, " I should find it much less trouble 

 to do my duty," and wished me good morning ; and I 

 tliought, from Wedderl)urn's good humoured smile, 

 that there was not much the matter. I returned to 

 Cranford and hunted awaj^ again more gaily than 

 ever. In those days we used to do the Deptfbrd and 

 AYoolwicli Dockyard duties, and a terrible bore they 

 were — Deptford, Woolwicli, and Chatham ! oh, what 

 bores ! The best of them was, that in regard to the 

 two former, one officer remained, and did all the 

 duty, while the others went away, so we each got a 

 spell of leave in turn. Alas! it was at Deptford 

 that I very nearl}'^ was caught out again. The de- 

 tachment duty lasied three weeks, and my week of 

 duty included the first of September. It happened 

 to be the last day of my duty too, the last day of 

 August, and on the next day an officer would return 

 to relieve me. It Avas much too near a thing for me 

 not to be off, so on the last day of my duty, instead 

 of going my rounds at night, I started for Cranford, 

 to be ready for the si looting on the first. I went out 

 at break of da}^ to pick up the outside birds that 

 were free to others, when, on my return to breakfast 

 at eight o'clock or soon after, there, in that memorable 

 stone yard, stood anotlier military apparition ! Bolt 

 upright, in full uinform, a sergeant of the Guards, with 

 hand to cap, it said, " You forgot the report, sir." 

 Deliglited was I this time to find that the ghost was 

 a friendly one ; so asking him " if the docks were safe 

 and all right, " on receiving his reply in the affirmative, 



