The colonel of the regiment met them as they marched in.
"Well, Captain Lowther, you have had a rough time of it, I reckon.

I thought the whole camp was going to be blown away last night.

These are the recruits from Southampton, I suppose ?" "Yes, colonel, what there is left of them; they certainly had a baddish twelve hours of it." "Form them in line," the colonel said, "and let me have a look at them.
They are all ready and willing to serve her majesty, I hope," he added with a grim smile.
"They are all ready, no doubt," Captain Lowther replied; "as to their willingness I can't say so much.

Some half dozen or so agreed at once to join without giving any trouble, foremost among them that lad at the end of the line, who, Sergeant Edwards tells me, is a fine young fellow and likely to do credit to the regiment; the rest chose to be sulky, and have suffered for it by being kept below during the voyage.

However, I think all their nonsense is knocked out of them now." The colonel walked along the line and examined the men.
"A sturdy set of fellows," he said to the captain, "when they have got over their buffeting.