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My dear lads, G. A. Henty was probably one the best writers of historical fiction of his time, and I shall go further by saying that he was probably one of the best of any time. I enjoy his writing greatly but even something that is greatly enjoyed can still be exaggerated and made fun of so here is a retelling of a Henty book by a young girl who passes over the history pages and sinks her teeth into the story. Be forewarned, my historical facts may not be accurate due to the aforesaid passing over of historical information. I only know the personages of history by their bestowing honors onto the Henty character in question so if I put them in the wrong places… you can just assume that it was intentional.

Chapter One
A Commission

Richard Smith was born in England to Sir Roland Smith and his lady. Sir Roland had had a military career before settling down and much wished that his eldest son would follow in his footsteps. Not wishing to disappoint his father when his own inclinations were exactly the same as his father’s Richard learned all of the things that officers needed to know and more.

He learned fencing, riding, military history, and many more things and at the age of sixteen his father and teachers considered him to be skilled enough to hold his own with nearly all of the officers of the British army and considered him far superior to any French officer.

When his father told him that he had obtained for him a commission in the army Richard was overjoyed. Then in about ten or so pages of historical information which I would skip through anyway, he informed his son of the current state of affairs in England, and also what had been happening in the past hundred years or so and who the military leaders of the time were.

I shall however touch upon more interesting subjects, like what Richard was like. Like most Henty characters he was courageous, prudent, intelligent, active, handsome, lucky, and well able to get himself out of scrapes, even when he did not get himself into them.

But enough with descriptions, let us get this tale going. When Richard left his home to travel to London, and their to join his regiment, he brought with him his faithful servant, Jack Stilwell, whom he had known since boyhood. Jack would have given his life for his master and as that is not a distinguishing characteristic for a Henty Character Sidekick I shall also add that he was unusual in this way, he was ten years older than Richard and was very serious and calculating.

Richard and Jack left for London. They actually were able to travel for more than five hours before adventure befell them. They were traveling on a path through a forrest when they heard shouts and clashes of swords ahead. Quickly they advanced and seeing a well dressed gentleman with two men at arms defending themselves against a band of twenty ruffians Richard quickly joined into the fray.

In no time at all the twenty ruffians were put to flight and Richard was heartily thanked by the man whose life he had saved. His name was Sir Roger Walsham and he told Richard that if ever he could do him a service he would.

Richard thanked him for his offer and as they were both going along the same road they traveled together.

However their ways soon parted and Richard continued on his way to London. Surprisingly he reached it without being attacked by highway men more than twice, each time the highway men were severely beaten. He showed up at the barracks where the troop in which he would be a part of was quartered. He was welcomed there and quickly learned his duties. The army was soon to be sent out to France under the command of the Duke of Wellington and at this point there probably would have been another three pages or so of history in which the fight against Napoleon would be throughly gone into.

There was great pleasure when the order came to embark and ships and sail for France. The English frequently went over there to bash the heads of the French and it was nothing new to go to France to fight the French. Now if they had been going to the south pole to fight the French it might have been something out of the ordinary.

Chapter Two
A sea adventure

They had been only a hour or so out at sea when the fact that the boat which Richard was on was slower than molasses, was clearly seen. They were several miles behind the others when they were attacked. Not by the French fleet but by five Spanish ships who had been cruising in the Caribbean but having been beaten soundly by Drake, had lost their way in a storm and managed to show up just in time to meet the English.

As the Spanish were no less eager than the French to defeat the English they attacked the ship that Richard was on. Far better would it have been for them to shove their heads into a hornets nest. For in several pages of intensive action, which I would have read, Richard cleverly suggested means by which they could be defeated, showed his courage and coolness under fire, and generally distinguished himself.

So greatly did he distinguish himself that the colonel on the vessel mentioned his name in the dispatches and intended to tell the matter more fully once they got into port.

But unfortunately Richard was not to be on the ship when it got into port for, while landing briefly for supplies and repairs (for despite Richards presence the ship had been damaged) one of the Spanish captains, named Fernando Rascala, who had been captured during the fight, escaped and decided to get his revenge on the English.

Having quickly gotten together several Spaniards who were in port, he at first planned to attack the English, but then realizing that that would be near impossible he decided to kidnap one of the officers, and his choice was young Richard.

After a page or two of plotting they managed to capture the young officer and put him on board the Spanish ship. Jack Stilwell had also been captured at the same time.

The two of them were bound and put in a cabin together. It was an unfortunate error on the part of Captain Rascala in putting the two Englishmen together, and especial since the cabin they were put in had been occupied by an officer who had not yet moved his things out, and among his things was a razor conveniently placed on top of side table. With a bit of struggling Richard managed to cut his cords and soon was free, so to speak. He untied Jack and together decided to take over the ship.

Now deciding to take over a ship and taking over a ship are two different things but to a Henty character, taking over a ship is not as difficult as it would be to some.

In a few pages of excitement the two managed to sneak into the cabins of all of the officers(it was at night and they were sleeping) and quickly bound and gagged them. Having done this the crew remained to be taken care of but on issuing out onto the deck they found that the crew were mainly English and these quickly joined the Henty character.

In fact one young sailor, Henry Walsham was his name, really joined their party and became a side kick. The sailors made no trouble at al to landing them at the place where the army was headed for in France and as the ship was a fast sailor Richard got there two days ahead of the main fleet who were delayed by a storm.

Chapter Three
France

Having a bit of spare time on his hands before the main army showed up Richard decided to see a bit of France and as Henry Walsham really wanted to see the country side, he made no objection and as Jack Stilwell would have followed Richard anywhere, he also made no objections.

They decided to head down one of the main roads for about a day and then come back by a slightly different route so as to see more countryside. However this plan was not carried out for after several times being attacked by puny French highwaymen, they decided to alter their course and see a bit of Normandy.

They made their way into Normandy but before long they were accosted by an official who wanted to know who they were and what they were doing and not being satisfied by the explanation that Richard gave that he was Richard Smith and was seeing a bit of France, the official had him detained in a castle.

His two faithful followers were also in the castle, and with him fortunately. It did not take them long to discover that the bars of their cell were rather weak and that with a bit of effort and exertion of their tremendous English strength they were able to break through. It was a thirty foot drop into the moat but that did not bother them much.

However before they were able to proceed further the official came in and was rather surprised at seeing the bars gone from the window and the prisoners about to escape. He felt his suspicions, that these prisoners were of rank and importance and were on a secret mission of some sort, were confirmed.

He had them taken to be examined to another part of the castle and as William the Conqueror was currently in Normandy and at the castle he decided to talk to the young man himself.

He quickly decided that Richard and his party was not on any secret mission and decided that they should be released, which they were, and then the three of them decided to head back to were the army was going to land at all speed to avoid further entanglements with the French.

But on their way back they meet some English troops who were about to engage in battle with the French and Richard felt that a little bit of a delay would not interfere much with his plans and he offered to help fight in the battle and his offer was gratefully accepted.

The battle began and as Richard was not assigned to any special duties, but was merely acting as a gentleman volunteer, when he saw an opportunity he was able to take it.

Henry Walsham had purchased prior to the battle a bag of large nails, they were on sale at a bargain price and he had bought them with the excuse that one can always use nails, and an opportunity for them to be used came forward.

The French had several large guns that were firing at the British and Richard decided to take these. Keeping his followers with him he quickly managed to take and spike the guns.

With the French artillery out of the way they French were quickly defeated and Richard was much thanked for his deed in spiking the guns. With due modesty he said that it was nothing but they insisted that it was something as indeed it was.

Richard then started making his way back to were the army was supposed to land and actually made it to the port before the army did.

When the army arrived and with it his troop, for the ship, once it had been repaired had shown that it did move slightly faster than molasses, was with the main army. They were rather surprised that Richard should have arrived before them but were glad to see him none the less and enjoyed hearing his tales.

About now there was about five pages of military and historical events and the Byzantine ways of many important personages were touched on.

But as this is to be a tale of adventure and not one of history I shall completely skip over the historical facts and get to important ones, like the fact that Richard was in the Calvary and was with a scouting expedition.

As my wish is that this tale be not much longer I shall not mention all of the many adventures that befell him. He was captured at least twice, defeated the enemy many times and showed all of the wisdom, pluck, and endurance of a true Henty character. Hist two side kicks stood by him well too.

Anyway he was raised in rank to a captain and got to meet The Black Prince who was currently in charge of the army.

Chapter Four
Adventures and the introduction of The Beautiful Girl

One day as Captain Richard was attending to his duties accompanied by his two faithful followers, he was surprised and captured by the French, who, though the odds were but three to sixty-seven, had the element of surprise on their hands and were able to capture the young captain with a loss of only less than half their number.

They brought him to a nearby prison but since it was full he was placed on board a ship that was already being loaded with prisoners to be sent to a port that had a larger prison.

This not being the first time he had escaped from a boat Richard was not too worried and Henry Walsham was even less so for he was acquainted with some of the sailors on board.

With the aid of Henry and his sailor friends, Richard had little trouble in starting a mutiny and taking over the ship. The English prisoners were released and the French were put in their place.

Since many of the prisoners were civilians and wanted to head back to England and as Richard was not averse to seeing his own country again, the boat sailed for England.

Richard was surprised to find among the now released prisoners Roger Walsham whom he had aided long ago in Chapter One. They began their acquaintance again and Roger invited the young Captain to his home and Richard accepted the invitation.

They were soon in England and soon after at Roger Walsham’s home. They were met at the door by Roger Walsham’s beautiful sixteen year old daughter, who was extremely glad to see her father again. Her name was Rose

Richard greatly enjoyed his stay in England, and especially enjoyed the society of Rose who was very pleasant to him.

However the call of duty reminded him that he must return to his troop and after a weeks stay with his friend Roger he left.

He heard that an expedition under King Richard the Lion Heart was heading to France on the way to the crusades and he decided to join it, though only to go as far as France. After meeting that great monarch, who was one of the most notable men of his time, and journeying with him to France he parted company with the expedition and attempted to rejoin his troop.

However fortune was seriously against him for he lost his way and managed to lose himself throughly in the Alps. Fortunately he bumped into Hannibal, or to be more exact he bumped into an elephant and then later was introduced to Hannibal. After meeting this great military leader he was able to realize which direction he ought to be going in and with cordial farewells he headed back to France.

Making his way carefully through France he was able, after a few more adventures, to get back to his troop. He was greatly welcomed there and then several more pages of history were gone over in a discussion and it was decided that the duplicity of King Charles was not aiding his cause, and indeed duplicity caused the downfall of quite a few monarchs.

Chapter Five
Home

By this time Captian Richard was twenty and as he had been giving good service for three years, he was again promoted and became Colonel Richard, having skipped a few steps.

The war continued for another year or so and when it was finally over and peace was signed and the English had had the best of it, Colonel Richard and his two faithful friends sailed home again.

After a weeks stay at his own home where his father was very glad to see him, Richard decided to pay another visit to his good friend Roger Walsham and after only a few days stay there informed him that there was a service he could render him to pay him back for the two times he had aided him

Roger having guessed what was in the wind made no objections and after finding out that Rose had no objections, bestowed her hand upon that of Roger. There was a grand wedding and Richard was able to settle down happily.

As Rose had had a considerable dowry Richard was able to make a far larger stand in the community than his father had and was able able to make handsome presents to his two faithful comrades. They were able to settle down and have families of their own but close ties between them were always maintained.

He fought no more, except when the Spanish Armada threatened England and he manned a ship and was helped make the battle a victory.