Chapter 7 - Page 2

Duff proved himself an effective leader.

"Here, let me pass," he shouted into the backs of men's heads. "I'm on duty here. I must get through to Colonel Kavanagh. Keep up there, men; keep your line! Stand back, please! Make way!"

His huge bulk, distorted face and his loud and authoritative voice startled men into temporary submission, and before they could recover themselves he and his little company of hard-boring men were through.

Twenty-five yards from the recruiting office a side rush of the crowd caught them.

"They've smashed the barricades," a boy from a telegraph pole called out.

Duff and his men fought to hold their places, but they became conscious of a steady pressure backwards.

"What's doing now, boy?" shouted Duff to the urchin clinging to the telegraph pole.

"The fusileers--they are sticking their bayonets into them."

Before the line of bayonets the crowd retreated slowly, but Duff and his company held their ground, allowing the crowd to ebb past them, until they found themselves against the line of bayonets.

"Let me through here, sergeant, with my party," said Duff. "I'm under orders of Colonel Kavanagh."

The sergeant, an old British army man, looked them over.

"Have you an order, sir--a written order, I mean?"

"No," said Duff. "I haven't, but the colonel expects us. He is waiting for me now."

"Sorry, sir," replied the sergeant, "my orders are to let no one through without a written pass."

Duff argued, stormed, threatened, swore; but to no purpose. The N. C. O. knew his job.

"Send a note in," suggested Barry in Duff's ear.

"Good idea," replied Duff, and wrote hurriedly.

"Here, take this through to your colonel," he said, passing the note to the sergeant.

Almost immediately Colonel Kavanagh came out and greeted Duff warmly.

"Where in this wide creation have you been, Duff?" he exclaimed. "I've wanted you terribly."

"Here I am now, then," answered Duff. "Six of us. We're going with you."

"It can't be done," said the colonel. "I have only twenty places left; every one promised ten times over."

"That makes it easy, Kavanagh. You can give six of them to us."

"Duff, it simply can't be done. You know I'd give it to you if I could. I've wires from Ottawa backing up a hundred applicants, actually ordering me to put them on. No! It's no use," continued the colonel, holding up his hand. "Look here, I'll give you a pointer. We have got word to-day that there's to be a second contingent. Neil Fraser is out there in your district, Wapiti, raising a company