COCKNEY GERMAN
He was a shining light of the Intelligence Corps, and before he arrived at Swakopmund his abilities as a linguist were spoken of with bated breath. To him there came his captain.
“Glad you’ve come, Jones,” said he; “we need a man who speaks German. Take a file and go down and tell that officer we made a prisoner yesterday that I’ll give him parole, but if he attempts to escape he’ll be shot.”
Off marched Jones, full of the importance of his task.
“Sprechen sie Deutsch?” he asked the chap, to the great admiration of the onlookers.
“Ja, ja,” said the big German, eagerly, glad to find some one who understood him at last.
“Oh! yer do—do yer?” said Jones. “Well, old sauerkraut, the captain says as ’ow ’e’ll give yer parole, but if you blooming well tries to skip it, there’s a bullet for yer! See?”