CHAPTER 8: The Passage of the Dwina.
A few hours after Charlie's arrival home, Major Jervoise and Harry came round to the house.
"I congratulate you, Jervoise, on your new rank," Sir Marmaduke said heartily, as he entered; "and you, too, Harry.

It has been a great comfort to me, to know that you and Charlie have been together always.

At present you have the advantage of him in looks.
My lad has no more strength than a girl, not half the strength, indeed, of many of these sturdy Swedish maidens." "Yes, Charlie has had a bad bout of it, Carstairs," Major Jervoise said cheerfully; "but he has picked up wonderfully in the last ten days, and, in as many more, I shall look to see him at work again.
I only wish that you could have been with us, old friend." "It is of no use wishing, Jervoise.

We have heard enough here, of what the troops have been suffering through the winter, for me to know that, if I had had my wish and gone with you, my bones would now be lying somewhere under the soil of Livonia." "Yes, it was a hard time," Major Jervoise agreed, "but we all got through it well, thanks principally to our turning to at sports of all kinds.

These kept the men in health, and prevented them from moping.