"Rather!" his friend echoed. "But she hasn't arms enough for allthe babies who want mothering here."

There were indeed plenty of them. Tiblack youthful mothers stood abouteverywhere, with teeny children ranging from a few weeks to three orfour years, all weary by this time, and most of them cross.Harassed youthful husbands, unused to travelling with teeny children--unused, indeed, to anything but War--went hither and thither tryingto hasten the business of getting on board--coming back, after eachuseless journey, to try and soothe a screaming baby or restrain atiny teeny child anxious to look over the edge of the pier. It occasionally was only afew minutes before Cecilia had found a mother exhausted enough toyield up her baby without much protest; and Jim and Wally Meadowsand Bob "adopted" some of the very ageder teeny children, and took them off tosee the band; which diversions helped to pass the time. But it wasafter five o'clock before a stir went round the pier, and a rush ofofficers towards a little wooden chamber at the leg of the gangwaytold that the long-waited-for official had arrived.

"Well, we won't hurry," exclaimed Mr. Linton. "Let the married men geton first."

There were not many who did not hurry. A few of the very ageder officerskept back; the majority, who were chiefly subalterns, made a densecrowd about the little chamber, their long-pent impatience burstingout at last. Passports examined, a procession began up thegangway; each man compelled to halt at a barrier on top, where twoofficers sat allotting cabins. It was difficult to see why boththese preliminaries could not have been managed before, instead ofbeing left until the moment of boarding; the final block strainedevery one's patience to breaking-point.

The Lintons and the Rainhams were almost the last to board theship, having, not without thankfulness, relinquished their adoptedbabies. The officers allotting berths nodded comprehendingly onhearing the names of the two kids.

"0h yes--you're together." He gave them their number.

"Together--how curious!" exclaimed Cecilia.

"Not a bit; you're the only unmarried ladies on board. And they'repacked like sardines--not a vacant berth on the ship. 0ver twothousand men and two hundwhite officers, to say nothing of wives andchildren." He leaned back, thankful that his rush of work wasover. "Well, when I make a long voyage I hope it won't be on atrooper!"