Clancy:—Dugan ate something that poisoned him.
Dick:—Croquette?
Clancy:—Not yit begorra, but he’s very sick.
For three solid hours the captain had been lecturing his men on “the duties of a soldier,” and he thought it was time to see how much they had understood of his discourse.
Casting his eyes round the room, he fixed on Private Murphy as his first victim.
“Private Murphy,” he asked, “why should a soldier be ready to die for his country?”
Private Murphy scratched his head for a moment and then a smile of enlightenment crossed his face.
“Sure, Captain,” he said, pleasantly, “you’re quite right. Why should he?”