"
"Well, we must think about it, Ralph, You know I consented greatly
against my will to your choosing the army for your profession, and I
am not going to draw back from that. You are just sixteen now, and
although that is rather young I believe that a good many lads do get
their commissions somewhere about that age. In one of his letters Mr.
Penfold said that as soon as you came back he would take the matter in
hand, and though I have good interest in other quarters and could
probably manage it, Mr. Penfold has a great deal more than I have, and
as he has expressed his willingness to arrange it I shall be grateful
to him for doing so."
"That will be first rate, mother," Ralph said in delight. "I thought
in another year I might get my commission; but of course it would be
ever so much better to get it a year earlier."
For the next few days Ralph was a hero among his boy friends, and had
to tell his story so often that at last he told his mother that if it
wasn't for leaving her so soon he should be quite ready to go off
again for another visit to Mr. Penfold.
"You won't be called upon to do that," she said smiling; "for this
letter that I have just opened is from him, and he tells me he is
coming here at once to see you, for he thinks it would be too hard to
ask me to spare you again so soon."
"You don't mean to say that he is coming all that way?" Ralph said in
surprise.
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