"But," he demurred, after a moment's thought, "I haven't got any wings an' things--or a trumpet."

"Your kind never do have wings, or trumpets."

"Your kind never do have wings, or trumpets."

"Oh, I see," he said; and sitting down began to wipe the mud from his legs with his stockings.

"Oh, I see," he said; and sitting down began to wipe the mud from his legs with his stockings.

"Rather muddy, aren't you?" I hinted. The boy cast a furtive glance at his draggled person.

"Rather muddy, aren't you?" I hinted. The boy cast a furtive glance at his draggled person.

"'Fraid I'm a teeny bit wet, too," he said hesitatingly.  "You see, I've been playing at 'Romans,' an' I had to wade, you know, 'cause was the standard-bearer who jumped into the sea waving his sword an' crying, 'Follow me!'  You remember him, don't you?--he's in the history book."

"'Fraid I'm a teeny bit wet, too," he said hesitatingly.  "You see, I've been playing at 'Romans,' an' I had to wade, you know, 'cause was the standard-bearer who jumped into the sea waving his sword an' crying, 'Follow me!'  You remember him, don't you?--he's in the history book."

"To be sure," I nodded; "a truly heroic character. But if you were the Romans, where were the Ancient Britons?"

"To be sure," I nodded; "a truly heroic character. But if you were the Romans, where were the Ancient Britons?"

"Oh, they were the reeds, you know; you ought to have seen me slay them. It was fine; they went down like--like----"

"Oh, they were the reeds, you know; you ought to have seen me slay them. It was fine; they went down like--like----"

"Corn before the sickle," I suggested.

"Corn before the sickle," I suggested.

"Yes, just!" he cried; "the battle raged for hours."

"Yes, just!" he cried; "the battle raged for hours."

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