Now did Captain Bob Shorty sidle to the left, with a view to flanking; but two columns of the enemy met him there. Next the agile Munchausen attempts, by a quick turn, to take him in the rear of his position, but finds a strong body of five divisions hurled upon his headquarters with an impetuosity that knocks out half his teeth.
"Art satisfied, Horatio?" said Captain Bob Shorty, with more or less Bowery Theatre in his manner.
An awful smile appeared upon what were left of the features of Captain Munchausen. It was so full of scorn, you know.
"Sir," said he, with much chivalry of bearing, and some difficulty of utterance, "my jaw may be broken, but I thank fate for it. It's a long time since I had anything to eat with my mouth, and to defend it at all was useless."
"Ha! ha! ha!" roared Captain Bob Shorty; "I really never did see anything so jolly."
"Madman!" yelled Munchausen, "your destruction is decided!"
Then were all the skips and hops repeated, my boy; with such ornamental bits of occasional fine art as the refined reporters of our excellent moral daily journals love to dwell fondly upon. Were I but such a reporter, I would describe the scene in a way to make you take it home to your children. But let me not waste time in lamentation; for, just then, a something heavy fell upon the right eye of Captain Munchausen, and effectually closed it for a week.
"Ah!" said Captain Bob Shorty, pleasantly, "did you count the stars upon our Flag that time, my grayback?"
"Sir," retorted Munchausen, staggering about, and wildly pulling handfuls of imperceptible hair out of invisible heads in the air,—"I consider the loss of that eye a blessing in disguise; for I can now concentrate my wholestrength on the other."
"Well, now, really," said Captain Bob Shorty,—"really, you know, I never see anything half so jolly."