"There," said Walter, "now use your eyes, father; look at this amorous
pair. Do you really think it possible for a fellow to untie those two?"
"Quite possible," said the Colonel. "Walter," said he, sententiously,
"there's a little word in the English language which is one of the
biggest. I will spell it to you, T--R--Y. Nobody knows what he can do
till he gives that word a fair trial. It was far more impossible to scale
the rock of Gibraltar; but our infantry did it; and there we are, with
all Europe grinding their teeth at us. What's a woman compared with
Gibraltar? However, as you seem to be a bit of a muff, I'll stand
sentinel whilst you cut him out."
The Colonel then retired into a sort of ambuscade--at least he mingled
with a small clump of three Scotch firs, and stood amongst them so
rectilinear he might have passed for the fourth stump. Walter awaited the
arrival of the foe, but in a spirit which has seldom conducted men to
conquest and glory, for if the English infantry had deviated so far from
their insular habits as to admire the Spaniards, you may be sure that
Gibraltar rock at this day would be a part of the Continent, and not a
detached fragment of Great Britain.
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