We gave them three cheers.

Oswald can shout loudest.

So as soon as the first man was level with us (not the advance guard, but the first of the battery)--he shouted-- 'Three cheers for the Queen and the British Army!' And then we waved the flag, and bellowed.

Oswald stood on the wall to bellow better, and Denny waved the flag because he was a visitor, and so politeness made us let him enjoy the fat of whatever there was going.
The soldiers did not cheer that day; they only grinned and kissed their hands.
The next day we all got up as much like soldiers as we could.

H.O.