A very brief consideration accordingly sufficed, and he sat down and wrote to his friends at the Royal Barracks thus:-- Saturday.
DEAR POWER,--I have a better plan for Tuesday than that I had proposed.

Lunch here at three (we'll call it dinner), in the hall with the great guns.

I can't say much for the grub; but the company--glorious! After that we'll start for Lucan in the drag; take our coffee, strawberries, etc., and return to No.

2 for supper at ten.
Advertise your fellows of this change, and believe me, Most unchangeably yours, FRANK WEBBER.
Accordingly, as three o'clock struck, six dashing-looking light dragoons were seen slowly sauntering up the middle of the dining-hall, escorted by Webber, who, in full academic costume, was leisurely ciceroning his friends, and expatiating upon the excellences of the very remarkable portraits which graced the walls.
The porters looked on with some surprise at the singular hour selected for sight-seeing; but what was their astonishment to find that the party, having arrived at the end of the hall, instead of turning back again, very composedly unbuckled their belts, and having disposed of their sabres in a corner, took their places at the Fellows' table, and sat down amidst the collective wisdom of Greek lecturers and Regius professors, as though they had been mere mortals like themselves.
Scarcely was the long Latin grace concluded, when Webber, leaning forward, enjoined his friends, in a very audible whisper, that if they intended to dine no time was to be lost.
"We have but little ceremony here, gentlemen, and all we ask is a fair start," said he, as he drew over the soup, and proceeded to help himself.
The advice was not thrown away; for each man, with an alacrity a campaign usually teaches, made himself master of some neighboring dish, a very quick interchange of good things speedily following the appropriation.

It was in vain that the senior lecturer looked aghast, that the professor of astronomy frowned.