SIR GEORGE DARWIN 155 



signs of the energy which marked his character in 

 later life. I am glad to remember that I became 

 his companion and willing slave. There was much 

 playing at soldiers, and I have a clear remembrance 

 of our marching with toy guns and knapsacks 

 across the field to the Sand- walk. There we made 

 our bivouac with gingerbread, and milk warmed 

 (and generally smoked) over a "touch-wood" fire. 

 I was a private while George was a sergeant, and 

 it was part of my duty to stand sentry at the far 

 end of the kitchen-garden until released by a bugle- 

 call from the lawn. I have a vague remembrance 

 of presenting my fixed bayonet at my father to 

 ward off' a kiss, which seemed to me inconsistent 

 with my military duties. Our imaginary names 

 and heights were written up on the wall of the 

 cloak-room. George, with romantic exactitude, 

 made a small foot rule of such a size that he could 

 conscientiously record his height as 6 feet, and 

 mine as slightly less, in accordance with my age 

 and station. 



Under my father's instruction George made 

 spears with weighted heads, which he hurled with 

 remarkable skill by means of an Australian throw- 

 ing stick. I used to skulk behind the big lime trees 

 on the lawn in the character of victim, and I still 

 remember the look of the spear flying through the 

 air with a certain venomous waggle. Indoors, too, 

 we threw at each other wooden javelins, which 

 we received on beautiful shields made by the 

 village carpenter and decorated with coats of 

 arms. 



Heraldry was a serious pursuit of his for many 



