"You l-licked 'em like the d-d-devil at Williamsburgh, d-d-d-didn't you?" said Dave.
The fellow looked at him in surprise, but failed to detect any evidence of an intended sarcasm in the immovable gravity of his face, so mentally concluding that the peddler was a fool and one of nature's own at that, he dropped the conversation.
By this time the meal was ready, and Dave, being invited to join them, gladly assented, and fell to with an appetite that showed how thoroughly he enjoyed the repast. Supper over, the party spent the evening in chatting and telling yarns. The detective opened his pack, and displaying his goods, soon disposed of quite a large quantity, in return for which he demanded, and would take, nothing but silver or gold. When "taps" were called, he turned in with the party, and placing his pack under his head for a pillow, he soon slept soundly, until reveille in the early morning aroused him from his slumbers.
Having eaten his breakfast, he sauntered through the camp, taking keen notice of the number of troops, and finding out all he could concerning their intended plans and movements. During the day, he did a thriving business with his small stock of notions, and was everywhere followed by a crowd, who were attracted by his droll humor and witty sayings.
On one of these occasions, and while he was driving some lively bargains with the soldiers that were gathered around him, he was approached by an officer, who slapped him familiarly on the shoulder and exclaimed:
"Here, my good fellow, we can use men like you; hadn't you better enlist with us? You can do your country a great deal more good than you are doing, tramping around the country selling needles and pins."
The detective turned around, and seeing who it was addressing him, replied:
"C-Captain, I d-d-don't think you would want me; I t-t-tried t-to enlist s-s-s-sometime ago, b-b-b-but the d-d-doctor said, m-my f-f-fits and stuttering b-b-being so b-b-bad, he c-c-couldn't p-p-pass me."
"Are you subject to fits?" the officer now asked, as a sympathetic look came over his face.
"Had 'em ever s-s-since I was t-t-ten years old," replied Dave, "have 'em every f-f-full of the m-m-moon."