For the first time in his life he took a grip on essentials.

He knew that by going straight into the heart of the old army his brains, provided they remained in his head, would enable him to accomplish his purpose.

As for his choice of regiment, there his vanity guided.

You may remember that after his disappearance we first heard of him at Aberdeen.

Now Aberdeen is the depot of the Gordon Highlanders.
"What on earth made you go there ?" I asked.
"I wanted to get among a crowd where I wasn't known, and wasn't ever likely to be known," he replied.