They
were both very popular, and almost every night before their departure
there was a pleasure party of some kind arranged for them. One night
they would give a regular "stag," as they called them, and then again
they would arrange a sort of musicale, at which there would be
clog-dancing, banjo music, and various games to increase the fun.
The four days passed very quickly indeed, and at last the day for
sailing arrived. There was a great throng at the pier to see them off,
and there was no end of good wishes and stories of the good times now
gone by. When the steamer finally moved out into the open, there were
three cheers each for Archie and "brave Bill Hickson," in which every
man appeared to join with all his heart and voice. And there were
tears in Archie's eyes at having to part from such true friends. It
was hard to tell, too, when he would ever see any of them again. He
realised that hereafter his path and theirs would probably lie in
different directions. He was going to New York to work as a reporter,
and they, if they were not killed in battle, would be scattered in all
parts of the great United States, at the mustering out of the troops.
It was all very sad, and even Bill Hickson seemed to feel the
solemnity of the occasion, for he had nothing to say for many hours
after the vessel had started on its journey.
Archie, too, felt homesick at having to leave, and they went to bed
very early, apparently feeling that the best thing under such
circumstances was to be asleep.
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