The prospect of joining Augusta Goold's band of volunteers and going to South Africa to fight afforded Hyacinth great satisfaction.

For two days he lived in an atmosphere of day-dreams and delightful anticipations.

He had no knowledge whatever of the actual conditions of modern warfare.
He understood vaguely that he would be called upon to endure great hardships.

He liked to think of these, picturing himself bravely cheerful through long periods of hunger, heat, or cold.

He had visions of night watches, of sudden alarms, of heart-stirring skirmishes, of scouting work, and stealthy approaches to the enemy's lines.