Raising the Flag Hetty Feather

-Left!

-Left, Gideon.

Left for Loopy, idiot boy.

Takes one to know one.

She's been making deals, just like the rest of us.

-Don't cross me, Feather, again!

-On the day I get out of here...

On the day you get out of here,

you'll be a servant like the rest of us.

You are the bravest person I know.

There comes a time when everyone has to grow up

and decide what they want to do with their future.

But we Foundlings, we don't have any choice at all.

Boys become soldiers...

..and girls become servants.

Our destiny is decided for us, whether we like it or not.

Attention!

It was army drill again.

Walter was taking it very seriously and so was Vince.

By the right, right turn.

Quick march.

But some boys made better soldiers than others.

And halt! About face.

As always, Gideon just had to keep on trying...and trying.

Quick march.

For Mathias, this army lark was, well, just one big joke.

-And halt.

-Like all of us, they had to get through it somehow.

Boys! This is Sergeant Cragg, a recruitment officer.

He's here to select a new drummer boy for his regiment.

The chosen boy will represent the good name

of the Foundling Hospital all over the world,

from Horse Guards Parade to Africa!

(Anything would be better than this dump.)

(Yeah, but you'd have to join the army.)

(Ssh, I'm trying to listen!)

(You don't want this gig, do ya?)

Cranbourne here has chosen the two most promising boys.

Each will captain a team.

The drummer boy will be chosen from the winning side.

Cranbourne!

The two team captains are...

-..Vince Rickard.

-Sir!

And...

-..Walter Brittle.

-Sir!

Rickard, you are Red Team captain. Pick two team-mates.

Mortimer...

..and...Smeed.

Gideon!

All right. Brittle, who do you want on the Blue Team?

Ned and...

..Mathias.

The game is called Raising The Flag.

You will each attempt a series of tests.

When you have completed the test,

you will win part of the regimental flag.

The winning team will be the first to collect all three components

and erect them into a flagpole.

'Mathias wasn't the only one who was fed up.

'I was being put through my paces too -

'stuck on cleaning duty with Sheila, my least favourite person.

'She always meant trouble.'

Aaah!

Now look what you've done. Mop that up!

Don't you dare!

You did this. You clean it up.

-Stay out of this, Feather.

-Urghh! Stop it!

What's the matter, Feather? Don't like soap and water?

-Get off me!

-You need a good wash.

Might get some of the red out of your hair...

I SAID STOP IT!

SHEILA SCREAMS

What is that ungodly noise?

It was Hetty Feather! She pushed the mop in my face!

She started it!

So you are both to blame.

I will not tolerate such infantile displays of wilful temper.

You clean this up.

Nurse Macclesfield, take these two to the infirmary.

Yes, Matron.

We're going to be nurses?

You are hardly fit to bear that title.

No, you will be skivvies.

You will fetch, carry, work all day and late into the night

until you learn the virtues of hard work, discipline

and humility.

Yes, Matron.

-Stop it!

-Get off me!

-Get off!

-OW!

-Keep still then!

-Hetty? Sheila? Are you sick?

What's wrong with them?

Nothing that a good dose of hard work won't cure.

Don't spare them and be sure to keep them in their place.

Nurse Feather. Nurse Orsmby.

I look forward to working with you.

Whether skivvies or nurses, it meant one thing - more hard work.

Today, we were all having a taste of our future.

Who's the best?

-I'm the best!

-We're the best!

Who's going to win?

-Me!

-Us!

You really want to win, don't you?

Course I do! In the Army, drummer boys get treated special.

They give out orders. Do you not want to give out orders?

I'd rather be a singer.

Listen up!

One member of each team to collect your equipment - on the double!

Move it, Smeed!

What was you thinking? Why'd you pick him?

-Tactics.

-Tactics?

-Our team's going to win, right?

-Right!

So, we don't want to lose the prize to a member of our own team.

Ohhhhh...

Here's your first task.

"Build a sturdy, weatherproof shelter

"from the materials provided."

Sounds easy enough.

I can't believe you've dragged me into this.

Why do you want to join the blooming Army anyway?

My foster dad's in the Army.

Last I heard, he was somewhere in Africa.

Don't know much about Africa, but I know it's a pretty big place.

Yeah, what makes you think you're going to find him?

Well, I'm not going to find him while I'm stuck in here, am I?

Lovely work, Nurse Ormsby, very neat.

You're a natural at this.

Perhaps you could help Nurse Feather over there?

Tsk-tsk, Hetty. Let me show you how it's done...

-Leave me alone!

-I'm just trying to help.

Look what you've done!

-You started it!

-And I'll finish it!

Ow!

Sorry - I'm sorry! Are you OK?

Of course he's not all right.

You just squished him with your big fat behind.

My "big fat behind" is prettier than your face.

And when your patients see that, they'll die of fright.

HE GIGGLES

I don't know what YOU'RE laughing at.

You're riddled with consumption

and you're not getting out of here any time soon.

Sheila Ormsby, you horrible bully! You take that back NOW!

No, why should I? It's true.

Finish your work on your own - if you can.

I'm off to help the proper nurses.

Ignore her. She doesn't mean it.

It's all right. I know what's wrong with me.

I'm Charlie, by the way.

Nice to meet you, Charlie. I'm Hetty.

'Meanwhile, back at the yard...'

Get a move on, Smeed! The other team have nearly finished!

'..the boys were building the shelters.'

I am sure there shouldn't be this many pieces left over.

Who cares? The man said put it up, we've put it up.

I need to make sure it's...

Oh, let me do it!

Hey Judd, don't just stand there, help! HELP! Come on!

Pass it here.

Right, that's it - we're done.

Are you sure? It looks a bit...wrong.

You want to win, don't you?

We need to finish so we can get on to the next task.

Sergeant Cragg! Over here!

We're ready.

So are we!

What do you call this?

A shelter. Like you asked for.

I told you it wasn't ready!

Start again. And this time, do it properly!

Did I hear you say you'd finished?

-No, sir.

-Sorry, sir.

-Not yet, sir.

Grigg, hat, now!

Yes, sir.

'We were all rubbish at something,

'like making beds and following orders.

'But I knew I had other talents.'

Just because your body's ill

doesn't mean your mind has to be stuck here.

You can travel wherever you want - you just have to picture it.

I'm picturing it.

Good! Where are you?

On the shining big-sea-water of the Gitche Gumee.

Like Hiawatha.

-Hia-what?

-He's a Red Indian chief

in a poem Nurse Winnie read me.

If you're an Indian, then you'll need a wigwam.

Nurse Feather!

Yes, Nurse Winterson?

Freshly starched sheets make the best wigwams.

Fetch a new one from the store cupboard.

-Yes, Nurse Winterson.

-WHAT? That's not fair!

I've changed the sheet on every bed,

I've even washed the blooming chamber pots

and all that time, she's just been playing silly games with that boy.

It may not seem fair to you,

but it's the first time I've seen Charlie smile in a very long time.

So whatever you're doing, Hetty, carry on.

Yes, Nurse Winterson.

And, Sheila, you've really impressed me today.

I think you have got the potential to be an excellent nurse.

But remember, it's not a competition.

'It wasn't a competition.'

-SHEILA: Yes, Nurse Winterson.

-'But I was still winning.'

We're going to build the best wigwam the Foundling Hospital ever saw!

Can we? And can we build it outside?

May we, Nurse Winterson?

Not today, Charlie.

But you said the fresh air is good for me!

Yes, but we have got to be very careful

that you don't overtire yourself.

-Please, Nurse.

-I'm sorry, Charlie. Another day, perhaps.

Now, I need to go and run some errands

so Nurse Feather and Nurse Ormsby are in charge.

But you might not be here another day.

This could be our only chance!

Adequate. You pass.

Your equipment for the next test is over there.

One backpack each and a lap around the grounds.

A test of strength and endurance.

Then we will have problem solving

and map reading to find the flag-ropes.

MOVE!

Sergeant Cragg, Sir! Sir, we've finished our shelter too.

Yeah. Very, very...adequate.

Now get on with it!

Come on!

'I was a nurse, it was up to me to get my patients better.

'I would do whatever it took.'

THEY WHOOP

This is your reservation, Big Chief. You must keep guard.

Hiawatha must defend his tribe.

Minnehaha says keep foe at bay!

We're being invaded!

Halt! This is Hiawatha's reservation!

Chief, they're friends, not foe!

-Move it, shrimp!

-Leave him alone!

Hetty - what are you doing here?

Helping at the Infirmary. What are you doing?

Raising of the flag contest. Winner gets to join the Army.

You? The Army?!

-Come on, Mathias!

-Move it, Smeed!

We've got to go!

I wish I could see the race.

You can.

Come on!

Feather! It's your turn to do the chamber pots now.

It should be here...

Well, it's not, is it, Smeed?

You're useless! You can't even read a map.

Unless...it's up there.

You're right!

Got it! Good job, Smeed!

"Good job, Smeed"?

Why don't you give him a big kiss and get it over with?

What?

He's only on our team to make us look good! Remember?

I know! You and me, we're mates. He's...nothing.

I'd rather be nothing than your mate.

Prove it. If he's not your mate, then...

make him eat this slug.

Hold him down.

We haven't got time for this.

Come on. Do it now. I'll hold his nose.

Or do you love him too much?

STOP THAT! GET OFF HIM!

Don't you ever touch him again!

Or what? What are you going to do about it?

-I - I...

-Oooh, I'm sooooo scared!

-You will be!

-Judd!

-Let go - you don't have to protect him!

He's my mate. My brother from day one.

He's not your brother. He's just a bully.

Boys! What are you doing?

The Army is no place for fighting!

This was supposed to be the easy part.

You can't even do a simple map-reading task

without getting into trouble, can you? All right.

As a penalty for fighting, another lap around the grounds.

Move it! Now!

Go!

No.

I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

Pretend all you want, but I'm not doing it.

Keep your Army - I'm out of the game.

Right, your team is disqualified. Rickard's team wins.

No, Sergeant Cragg, please. I really want to be your drummer boy.

My Dad, he's in the Army. I really have to find him.

It's a shame your mate let you down.

All right, fine, I'll do it.

All right - if you can beat him, your team is still in the game.

But he has a head start - it's impossible!

You'd better get a move on then, hadn't you?

What are you waiting for? Pick up those bags!

Hetty, you will never believe what happened.

It was Vince and Judd...

'Gideon told me all about Vince trying to make him eat a slug.

'I was furious.'

-Nobody makes my brother eat a slug!

-It's all right. Mathias saved me.

But he has to beat Judd or their team's out.

Look, here they are!

'It was then that Charlie took the game of Red Indians a bit to far.'

I am Big Chief Hiawatha. You shall not pass!

'He thought he could save the day.'

Aaargh! Get off!

Kick him off!

Aargh! Get off me!

Noooooo!

'It was time for Minnehaha to help Big Chief.'

Let him go now.

Come on, Judd, you can do it.

Did it work?

I think so. Mathias is winning.

Good.

Charlie! Charlie! Are you all right?

Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

Hetty, what happened?

Charlie, wake up!

Let's pick him up. We need to get him back to the infirmary.

COME ON, MATHIAS! YOU CAN DO IT!

Come on, boys, nearly there.

Grigg wins!

We could have won! You stupid, slow, clumsy, useless loser!

Well done. Thanks, Mathias.

I owe you one.

I beat him. I won his stupid race.

He's burning up.

This should cool him down.

Keep soaking these rags in cold water and when he wakes up,

try and get him to drink.

Sheila?

Don't go.

You should drink this, too.

You've probably got a touch of heatstroke yourself.

BELL TOLLS

Both teams collected all three flag components.

The Red Team got there first.

-Yes!

-So they will get a head start.

The winning team will be the first to raise the flag. Thomas!

Red Team - GO!

Go. GO!

Blue team, GO!

It's threaded wrong. You have to do it like this.

Move out the way! Hurry up, idiot.

Come on, Judd, stupid!

Please, come on, help!

Judd!

What?!

Ohhh!

ALL: FLAG!

We have a winner - The Blue Team!

You cost us the game!

You... You...

Stupid? Slow?

Useless? Clumsy? Loser?

Congratulations, Blue Team.

Sergeant Cragg, have you chosen your new regimental drummer boy?

I have. I choose Brittle.

-And Grigg.

-What?

-Him?

-Me?

Yes. You've got guts. And heart.

You really wanted to win that race.

Yeah, for Walter!

I know. And that's what will make you a good soldier.

When you go into battle, you're not just fighting for Queen and country.

You're protecting your mates. That's where your loyalties lie.

Right, Grigg?

You want Brittle AND Grigg? Two drummer boys?

That's right.

Believe me, lads, you'll thank me for it.

You'll love the Army life. You'll get to see the world.

I'm offering you a chance of freedom, boy. What do you say?

-How are you feeling, Charlie?

-Wonderful!

Glad to hear it.

This is the best day ever.

Hetty really looked after me.

And so did Sheila.

Well done, nurses.

'Looking after Charlie had even helped bring me and Sheila together.

'At last, our long-running feud was over...'

I can do it.

-GET OFF!

-I poured it first.

-You did it the last time.

-Let go.

-You let go!

-No, you let go.

'Well, for about five minutes.'

'After a day playing at soldiers,

'it didn't take long for Vince to return to his old ways.'

Oi!

'But the other boys had more important things on their minds.'

I can't believe you are really going.

Nor can I.

-Ready, lads?

-Yes, sir!

-Yes, sir.

You're making the right decision, Grigg.

A spirited lad like you shouldn't be rotting away in a place like this.

Nor should anyone.

We can't change the world, lad.

We can only do what's right for us.

Come on now - let's get going.

I can't go.

Why not?

Because...we've got our own war to fight, right here.

So...I think I need to stay.

What makes you think you have a choice?

Answer me, Private Grigg!

I KNOW I don't have a choice.

That's right! I only take the best boys in my regiment.

If you haven't got the stomach for it...

I do! I'm not afraid of you or anyone!

But I'm not a drummer boy. I'm a general.

Are you, indeed?

All right.

Say goodbye to General Grigg. We're on our way.

You're letting me stay?

You're making a big mistake, lad, but that's your business.

Come on.

Good luck. I hope you find your foster dad.

Me too.

So Walter was off and Mathias was staying for good.

At least we had only lost one of us to the Army.

You could have gone! We'd be all right.

You lot? Don't make me laugh!

If I wasn't around, Vince would rule this place.

You did the right thing, General Grigg.

Yes. You did.

-Walter!

-We thought you went with Sergeant Cragg!

No. I told him I'm staying here.

What? Why?

Cos a soldier doesn't abandon his mates.

But you wanted to find your foster dad!

Yes, but Africa's a big place.

And like you said, he could be anywhere by now.

But you mustn't give up hope.

I'm not.

I'll find him one day,

but I didn't want to lose my other family.

'Walter was right. We Foundlings are like family.

'We don't always get on.

'But in the end, we protect each other.

'We have to because we're fighting for our very survival.

'And if we all stick together, one day, we might just win.'

I'll do whatever you want...

I need you to find out everything you can

about your friend Hetty Feather and her brother.

She can't be my mother.

I have heard reports of ill-treatment.

Children starved, beaten, worked like slaves.

Emily Prestwick is here, in this hospital.

How dare you come back here!

Emily?