"True, sir, same being apt to bend."
"I trust you did no serious hurt, Sergeant?"
"Not so serious as I could ha' wished, sir."
"And I hope it won't occur again."
"I hope so too, sir! Regarding the prisoner, sir——"
"He has escaped, I understand, Zeb."
"He has so, your honour."
"Then there is no prisoner."
"Why as to that, sir," began the Sergeant, scratching his big chin—
"As to that, Zeb, 'tis just as well for everyone concerned, especially the prisoner, that—er—isn't, as 'twere and so forth, d'ye see, Sergeant?" So saying the Major took up his pen and the Sergeant strode away, though more than once he shook his head in dark perplexity.