that
leg!" Here Pompey handed the bundle, a very capital cork leg, already
dressed, which it screwed on in a trice; and then it stood up before my
eyes.

"And a bloody action it _was_," continued the thing, as if in a
soliloquy; "but then one mustn't fight with the Bugaboos and Kickapoos,
and think of coming off with a mere scratch. Pompey, I'll thank you now
for that arm. Thomas" [turning to me] "is decidedly the best hand at a
cork leg; but if you should ever want an arm, my dear fellow, you must
really let me recommend you to Bishop." Here Pompey screwed on an arm.

"We had rather hot work of it, that you may say. Now, you dog, slip
on my shoulders and bosom! Pettitt makes the best shoulders, but for a
bosom you will have to go to Ducrow."

"Bosom!" said I.

"Pompey, will you _never_ be ready with that wig? Scalping is a rough
process after all; but then you can procure such a capital scratch at De
L'Orme's."

"Scratch!"

"Now, you nigger, my teeth! For a _good_ set of these you had better go
to Parmly's at once; high prices, but excellent work. I swallowed some
very capital articles, though, when the big Bugaboo rammed me down with
the butt end of his rifle."

"Butt end! ram down!! my eye!!"

"O yes, by-the-by, my eye--here, Pompey, you scamp, screw it in ! Those
Kickapoos are not so very slow at a gouge; but he's a belied man, that
Dr. Williams, after all; you can't imagine how well I see with the eyes
of his make."

I now began very clearly to perceive that the object before me was
nothing more nor less than my new acquaintance, Brevet Brigadier General
John A. B. C. Smith. The manipulations of Pompey had made, I must
confess, a very striking difference in the appearance of the personal
man. The voice, however, still puzzled me no little; but even this
apparent mystery was speedily cleared up.

"Pompey, you black rascal," squeaked the General, "I really do believe
you would let me go out without my palate."

Hereupon, the negro, grumbling out an apology, went up to his master,
opened his mouth with the knowing air of a horse-jockey, and adjusted
therein a somewhat singular-looking machine, in a very dexterous manner,
that I could not altogether comprehend. The alteration, however, in the
entire expression of the General's countenance was instantaneous and
surprising. When he again spoke, his voice had resumed all that rich
melody and strength which I had noticed upon our original introduction.

"