d stop
us in the Sudan, and when we dug up the Mahdi and threw his body away
there was nothing left of the rebellion. I believe the best way to
settle things here would be to dig up somebody--Confusus, for instance.
If there's anything of that kind to be done our army could do it in
style."

"It must be a very effective means of subjugating people," said Sam.

"Yes, and would you believe it? the natives objected to it. They asked
us what we would think of it if they dug up our Queen. Just think of
it! The impudent niggers! As if there was any similarity in the two
cases."

"Outrageous," said Sam.

"And even at home and in Parliament, when our general was sitting in
the gallery hearing them discuss how much money they would give him,
some of the members protested against our digging the old fraud up. It
was a handsome thing for the general to go there and face them down."

"It showed great tact, and I may say--delicacy," said Sam.

"Yes, indeed," said the captain. "That's his strong point."

"But I suppose that the war in South Africa was even greater," said
Sam.

"Rather. Why we captured four thousand of those Boers with only forty
thousand men. No wonder all Anglia went wild over it. Lord Bobbets went
home and they gave him everything they could think of in the way of
honors. It was a fitting tribute."

"The war is quite over there now, isn't it?" asked Sam.

"Yes," answered the captain, somewhat drily. "And so is yours in the
Cubapines, I understand."

"Yes," said Sam. "I think the Cubapine war and the South African war
are about equally over."

"Do you see that lieutenant there between your friend and the parson?"

"Yes."

"He got the Victorious Cross in South Africa. He saved a sergeant's
life under fire. You see his cross?"

"How interesting!" said Sam. "He must be a hero."

"That chap with the mustache at the bottom of the table really did more
once. He saved three men from drowning in a shipwreck in the Yellow
Sea. He's got a medal for it."

[Illustration: WINNERS OF THE CROSS
"HE GOT THE VICTORIOUS CROSS IN SOUTH AFRICA"]

"Why doesn't he wear it, too?" asked Sam.

"Civilians never do," said the captain. "It would look rather odd,
wouldn't it, for him to wear a life-saving medal? You may be sure he
keeps it locked up somewhere and never talks about it."

"It is strange that civilians should be so far behind military men in
using their opportu