Mr.Belmont and Colonel Cochrane followed, the brims of their sun-hats touching as they discussed the relative advantages of the Mauser, the Lebel, and the Lee-Metford.

Behind them walked Cecil Brown, listless, cynical, self-contained.

The fat clergyman puffed slowly up the bank, with many gasping witticisms at his own defects.

"I'm one of those men who carry everything before them," said he, glancing ruefully at his rotundity, and chuckling wheezily at his own little joke.
Last of all came Headingly, slight and tall, with the student stoop about his shoulders, and Fardet, the good-natured, fussy, argumentative Parisian.
"You see we have an escort to-day," he whispered to his companion.
"So I observed." "Pah!" cried the Frenchman, throwing out his arms in derision; "as well have an escort from Paris to Versailles.

This is all part of the play, Monsieur Headingly.