“But stop a minute,” said the sergeant, “I’m not a man of words without deeds. Have we got anything to drink to the toast?”
All looked in their respective cups and every one said, “No, not a drop!”
Then said the sergeant “We’ll have one all rounded for the last. You’ll find me as good as my word. What’s it to be before we part?”
“Can’t beat this ’ere,” said Joe, looking into the sergeant’s empty glass.
“So say all of us,” exclaimed Harry.
“That’s it,” said all.
“And a song from the sergeant,” added Devilmecare.
“Ay, lads, I’ll give you a song.”
Then came in the pretty maid whom Joe leered at, and the sergeant winked at; and then came in tumblers of the military beverage, and then the sergeant said:
“In all companies this is drunk upstanding, and with