Quite early in the war David and William walked home in silence after seeing a troop-train off from Rye, then suddenly, when they came to Odiam, shook hands.

"It\'s our chance," said Bill.

"We\'ve waited for it long enough."

"I couldn\'t have stood much more, and this will be a good excuse."

"The old man \'ull take on no end—wot with his corn-growing plans and that."

"Funny how he never seems to think of anything but Odiam."

"Strikes me as he\'s mad—got what you call a fixed idea, same as mad people have."

"He\'s sensible enough—but he\'s unaccountable hard to live with."

"Yes—he\'s fair made me hate Odiam. I liked the place well enough when I was a little lad, but he\'s made[Pg 411] me sick of it. It\'s all very well living on a farm and working on it, but when you\'re supposed to give up your whole life to it and think of nothing else, well, it\'s too much."

"We won\'t tell him that, though, Davy—we\'ll make out as it\'s pure patriotic feeling on our part."

"Yes; I don\'t want him to think we\'re set on getting away—but, by gum, Bill! we are."

"If this war hadn\'t happened we\'d have had to have thought of something else."

So they went and broke their news to Reuben. They were careful and considerate—but he was knocked out by the blow.

"Going!—both of you!" he cried.

"We feel we\'ve got to. They want all the young men."

"But you could help your country just as well by staying at h?ame and growing corn."

"You can grow corn without us—we\'re wanted out there."

"But you\'re all I\'ve got—one go, and t\'other stay."

"No, we must stick together."

"Oh, I know, I ............