It is
the duty of pages to aid in collecting firewood and forage, and in
all other ways to make themselves useful. You will bear the same
sort of relation to the gentlemen volunteers as they do towards
the officers. They are aspirants for commissions as officers as
you will be to become gentlemen volunteers. You must not think that
your duties will be light, for they will not, and you will have to
bear many discomforts and hardships. But you will be in an altogether
different position from that of the boys who are the pages of the
company. You will, apart from your duties, and bearing in mind
the difference of your age, associate with the officers and the
gentlemen volunteers on terms of equality when nor engaged upon duty.
On duty you will have to render the same strict and unquestionable
obedience that all soldiers pay to those of superior rank. What say
you? Are you still anxious to go? Because, if so, I have decided
to take you."
Geoffrey and Lionel both expressed their thanks in proper terms,
and their earnest desire to accompany Captain Vere, and to behave
in all ways conformably to his orders and instructions.
"Very well, that is settled," Francis Vere said. "The earl is
journeying down to Hedingham tomorrow, and has kindly promised to
take charge of a letter from me to your father, and personally to
assure him that this early embarkation upon military life would
prove greatly to your advantage.
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