and killed him dead.'

'Tisn't the same gun--that's a Frinch one--a bran-new one!'

'She isn't.'

'She is.'

'No, she isn't.'

'Yes, but she is.' 'What is't you say?' 'Hould your prate.'

'Arrah, teach your mother to feed ducks.'

'Silence in the ranks. Keep silence there. Attention, Colooney!'

'Yis, sir.'

'Fire!'

'What at, sir?' asks Tom, taking an amateur glance of the company, who
look not over satisfied at his scrutiny.

'Fire in the air!'

[Illustration: 260]

Bang goes the piece, and a yell follows the explosion, while cries of
'Well done, Tom,' 'Begorra, if a Protestant got that!' and so on, greet
the performance.

'Stand by, Colooney!' and the volunteer falls back to make way for
another and similar exhibition, occasionally varied by the humour of the
blunders of the new candidate.

As to the Treasury orders, as we somewhat ludicrously styled the cheques
upon our imaginary bank, the scenes they led to were still more absurd
and complicated. We paid liberally, that is to say in promises, for
everything, and our generosity saved us a good deal of time, for it was
astonishing how little the owners disputed our solvency when the price
was left to themselves. But the rations were indeed the most difficult
matter of all; it being impossible to convince our allies of the fact
that the compact was one of trust, and the ration was not his own to
dispose of in any manner that might seem fit.

'Sure, if I don't like to ate it--if I haven't an appetite for it--if
I'd rather have a pint of sperits, or a flannel waistcoat, or a pair of
stockings, than a piece of mate, what harm is that to any one?'

This process of reasoning was much harder of answer than is usually
supposed, and even when replied to, another difficulty arose in its
place. Unaccustomed to flesh diet, when they tasted they could not
refrain from it, and the whole week's rations of beef, amounting to
eight pounds, were frequently consumed in the first twenty-four hours.

Such instances of gormandising were by no means unfrequent, and,
stranger still, in no one case, so far as I knew, followed by any ill
consequences.

The leaders were still more difficult to manage than the people. Without
military knowledge or experience of any kind, they presumed to dictate
the plan of a campaign to old and distinguished officers like Humbert
and Serasin, and when overruled by argument or ridicule, invariably fell
back upon their superior knowled