He came to his opinion through the estimate he had recently formed of Lord Fleetwood, and a study of his changed sister.
Her brows gloomed at a recurrence to that subject.

Their business of the expedition absorbed her, each detail, all the remarks he quoted of his chief, hopeful or weariful; for difficulties with the Spanish Government, and with the English too, started up at every turn; and the rank and file of the contingent were mostly a rough lot, where they were rather better than soaked weeds.

A small body of trained soldiers had sprung to the call to arms; here and there an officer could wheel a regiment.
Carinthia breasted discouragement.

'English learn from blows, Chillon.' 'He might have added, they lose half their number by having to learn from blows, Carin.' 'He said, "Let me lead Britons!"' 'When the canteen's fifty leagues to the rear, yes!' 'Yes, it is a wine country,' she sighed.

'But would the Spaniards have sent for us if their experience told them they could not trust us ?' Chillon brightened rigorously: 'Yes, yes; there's just a something about our men at their best, hard to find elsewhere.