hat's guv' her
impidence."

"They have! I'm yer boy for a shindy. Where are they, colonel?"

"Not far off. And, by the way, she sent ye this bran new shillin' with
her best respex to ye, Pat; and sez I'm to axe ye what you'll take to
drink her health in; so come along, my lad."

Patrick did come along, and of course was duly and willingly enlisted by
his new friend, who promised him honour, and glory, and riches enough to
make a commander-in-chief's mouth water.

My new master, perhaps, was fond of making himself out a greater
simpleton than he really was. At any rate, he appeared to believe every
word the recruiting officer told him. And having no friends to say
good-bye to, and no luggage to pack up, and no money (unless he pawned
me) to spend, he was ready for marching orders immediately. To my
surprise, he showed no desire now to dispose of me.

"What 'ud I want to give him up?" he said to himself as he held me in
his hand. "Shure he'll be handy to tell the toime by on the faylde of
battle." And with this satisfactory assurance he put me back in his
pocket, which, greatly to my relief, was not the one which contained
that asthmatic pocket-comb.

Patrick had not to leave for his depot till next day, and took a long
stroll through the streets of Seatown along with the recruiting officer
this evening. He was in high spirits and very proud of being a soldier,
so the sergeant had very little difficulty in keeping him in good
humour. Indeed, he stood that officer in good stead once; for
encountering a compatriot acquaintance, a likely sort of fellow too, he
helped her Majesty's army to a fine recruit.

"Here, Larry, ye blackguard," called he, "here's a gentman axing for
yez."

Larry, a hulking sheepish young Irishman, did not look particularly
happy at this information, and replied,--

"And what's to prevent him axing?"

"Man dear, and is that the way ye address one of the Quane's foighting
men? Spake to him, meejor dear."

The "dear meejor" at this point took up the discourse.

"Faith," he said, "till I saw Patrick here I thought there wasn't a
single boy in the place smart enough to wear a red coat, but I see
there's two of ye anyhow."

And the sergeant laughed loud and clapped Larry on the back, and told
him it was a shame for him to be walking about in boots full of holes,
when he might be strutting up and down as fine as any gentleman in the
place, to say nothing of regular pay and quarter