“I told ’im. ’Twasn’t right; an’ ’e nips off to the Skoda to make it so. When ’e comes back, ’e says that the Gander ’ad been before ’im an’ corrected the error. But we two come up before the Major, just the same, that afternoon after lunch; ’Ammick in the chair, so to speak, Mosse in another, an’ the B. S. M. chargin’ Macklin with writin’ obese words on His Majesty’s property, on active service. When it transpired that me an’ not Macklin was the offendin’ party, the B. S. M. turned ’is hand in and sulked like a baby. ’E as good as told ’Ammick ’e couldn’t hope to preserve discipline unless examples was made—meanin’, o’ course, Macklin.”
“Yes, I’ve heard all that,” said Anthony with a contemptuous grunt. “The worst of it is, a lot of it’s true.”
“’Ammick took ’im up sharp about Military Law, which he said was even more fair than the civilian article.”
“My Gawd!” This came from Anthony’s scornful mid-most bosom.
“’Accordin’ to the unwritten law of the ’Eavies,’ says ’Ammick, ‘there’s no objection to the men chalkin’ the guns, if decency is preserved. On the other ’and,’ says he, ‘we ’aven’t yet settled the precise status of individuals entitled so to do. I ’old that the privilege is confined to combatants only.’
“‘With the permission of the Court,’ says Mosse, who was another born lawyer, ‘I’d like to be allowed to join issue on that point. Prisoner’s position is very delicate an’ doubtful, an’ he has no legal representative.’
“‘Very good,’ says ’Ammick. ‘Macklin bein’ acquitted——’
“‘With submission, me lud,’ says Mosse. ‘I hope to prove ’e was accessory before the fact.’
“‘As you please,’ says ’Ammick. ‘But in that case, ’oo the ’ell’s goin’ to get the port I’m tryin’ to stand the Court?’
“‘I submit,’ says Mosse, ‘prisoner, bein’ under direct observation o’ the Court, could be temporarily enlarged for that duty.’