"Three cheers, gentlemen!" and all of those present joined in a hearty
cheer.
Then a sudden silence fell upon them. The first idea that had struck
each man was that the news meant their again taking the field for
another stirring campaign. Then the dismal thought occurred to them
that the regiment was under orders for America. It soon found
expression in words.
"Why, major, they surely won't be sending us across the Atlantic now
this news has arrived. The Powers will never permit all their work to
be undone, and Napoleon to mount the throne of France again. Why, in a
short time all Europe will be in a blaze, and how is England to take
the field again? The greater portion of Wellington's army are
scattered over the world--in America, India, and the Colonies. I don't
believe there are half a dozen of the old fighting regiments
available, and even their ranks are half-filled with raw recruits.
Almost all the regiments at home are mere skeletons. Surely they will
never be sending us away at such a moment?"
"That I can say nothing about," the adjutant replied. "Certainly no
counter orders have reached the colonel this evening. I don't suppose
anything will be decided upon for some time. The Powers will all
exchange notes and hold councils and spend weeks in talk before they
make up their mind whether anything is to be done, and if so what; and
long before they come to any decision on the subject we shall be on
the other side of the Atlantic, and then, possibly, after all the
trials and monotony of perhaps a two months' voyage, we may land there
only to be fetched back again.
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