196 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



the Officer's advice as to what should 

 be pleaded in vindication of his conduct. 

 "Would it be any use mentioning that 

 I'm a Free Mason ? " asked one. " No," 

 the Prosecutor had to answer. "That 

 would only make things worse. It would 

 bring to light the fact that you have 

 broken a second oath of loyalty to the 

 Sovereign." Another man had a wife 

 and two bairns at home. "You should 

 have thought of that before," said the 

 Prosecutor. "Nae doobt," moaned the 

 prisoner; "but I'm sure that if there's 

 anything your Lordship can do to help 

 me, you'll do it?" "Yes," said Counsel 

 for the Defence, looking gravely sym- 

 pathetic : " I'll take home to your family 

 any message you entrust to me." 



Nevertheless, although the Blue-Paper 

 demonstration was a failure, the court- 

 martial was all right. The Lance- 

 Corporals were taken first. They were 

 sentenced to about a year's imprisonment. 

 Parading the men, the Officer Command- 

 ing read out the sentence ; offered them 



