“Oh yes, ha, ha, ha! they deceived the general.”
“Which general?” said Jaques.
“Oh, we’ve only one general here—General Public—he’s the boy for mobilisation, oh, haha, haha, ha!”
He laughed so loud and shook so much that the crutches, trembling under him, stuck in the ground, and his horse, walking off, left him up in the air between the crutches. This did not seem to disconcert him at all, but brandishing his sword, he shouted—
“Battalion, halt!”
As the regiment was standing still already, the boys thought this a very funny order to give; but they were more surprised still when they saw the whole line set off marching, all limping as if they had blistered feet.
“Very well, very steadily done,” said the Colonel, as they came bobbing and limping towards him, like a lot of ducks in a thunder-storm. Presently, on their coming close to him, he shouted—
PUSSIAN TACTICS.
“Double!”