"If I could find all the qualifications that I require, I should
not be particular about that; but I think that for choice I would
take a lad of from sixteen to twenty."

"In that case I fancy that I know a lad who might suit you," one of
the other officers said. "He is a brother of my groom, and I may
own that he has been of no little trouble to him. The boy is an
orphan, and having no other friends so far as I know, he has attached
himself to his brother, and for the past two years, wherever he
has gone Paolo has gone too. He earns a little money by doing odd
jobs -- running messages, and so on, helps his brother to clean
the horses; and with an occasional crown from me, and what he earns
otherwise, it cannot be said that he costs his brother anything in
money; but in other respects he is always getting him into trouble,
for he is a very imp of mischief. Two or three times his brother
has obtained places for him, but he always comes back at the end
of a week, and sometimes sooner, with bitter complaints from his
master that he has set the household in a turmoil with his tricks
and ill conduct. Many a thrashing has he had, but they do him no
good."

The others laughed.

"There is no doubt that Paolo is a perfect young imp," one of
them said, "but he is as sharp as a needle. I have no doubt that
if he could be tamed he would make a most useful lad. As it is, I
certainly would not recommend anyone who cares for his peace of
mind to have anything to do with him."

"I will see him anyhow," Hector said. "I think that I would rather