-g-g!"

"Fiz-a-bang-g-g-g!"

The seconds ran, or hobbled forward, each to his man, both being down;
but whether by concussion, recoil of their fusees, force of the liquor,
or weakness of the knee-pans, was a hard fact to solve.

"Hurt, Wash.?"

"Not a bit!" cries the Adjutant, getting up.

"Hit, Dick?"

"No, _sir!_" shouts the Lieutenant; "good as new!"

"Set 'em up!"

"Take your places, gentlemen!" cry the seconds.

All ready. Wang! bang! go the pieces, and down ker-_chug_ go both men
again. The seconds rush forward, raise their men, all safe, load up
again, take a drink, all right.

"Make ready, take aim, fire!"

"Wang-g-g!"

"Bang-g-g!"

Both down again, the Lieutenant's coat-tail slightly dislocated, and the
Adjutant dangerously wounded in the leg of his breeches! Both parties
getting very mad, very tired, and very anxious to try it on at ten
paces. Seconds object, pieces loaded up again, principals arranged, and,

"One, two, three, fire!"

"Wang-g-g-g!"

"Bang-g-g!"

All down--load up again--take a drink--fire! and down they go again. It
is very natural to suppose that all this firing attracted somebody's
attention, and somebody came poking around to see what it was all about;
and just then, as four or five Mexicans came peeping and peering through
the chaparral, Dick and Wash. let drive--Bang-g! wang-g! and though it
seemed impossible to hit one another, the slugs, ricochetting over and
through the chaparral, knocked down two Mexicans, who yelled sanguinary
murder, and the rest of their friends took to their heels. The seconds,
not _quite_ so "tight" as the principals, took warning in time to
evacuate the field of honor, Lieut. Dick's second taking him one way,
and Ajt. Wash.'s friend going another, just as a "Corporal's Guard" made
their appearance to arrest the _rioters_. In spite of the poor Mexicans'
protestations, or endeavors to make out a true case, they were taken up
and carried to the Guard-House, for shooting one another, and raising a
row in general. A night's repose brought the morning's reflection, when
the previous day's performances were laughed at, if not forgotten. Wash,
and Dick became good friends, of course, and cemented the bonds of
fraternity in the bloody work of a day or two afterwards, in storming
Monterey.

* * * * *

THE END.

* * * * *

T. B. PETERSON'S LIST OF PUBLICATIONS