“‘Good,’ sez I; ‘’tis the likes av him makes the likes av the Commandher-in-Chief, but we must presarve thim. Fwhat d’you want to do, sorr?’ sez I, very politeful.
“‘Kill the beggars—kill the beggars!’ he shqueaks; his big blue eyes brimmin’ wid tears.
“‘An’ how’ll ye do that?’ sez I. ‘You’ve shquibbed off your revolver like a child wid a cracker; you can make no play wid that fine large sword av yours; an’ your hand’s shakin’ like an asp on a leaf. Lie still an’ grow,’ sez I.
“‘Get back to your comp’ny,’ sez he; ‘you’re insolint!’
“‘All in good time,’ sez I, ‘but I’ll have a dhrink first.’
“Just thin Crook comes up, blue an’ white all over where he wasn’t red.
“‘Wather!’ sez he; ‘I’m dead wid drouth! Oh, but it’s a gran’ day!’
“He dhrank half a skinful, and the rest he tilts into his chest, an’ it fair hissed on the hairy hide av him. He sees the little orf’cer bhoy undher the Sargint.
“‘Fwhat’s yonder?’ sez he.
“‘Mutiny, sorr,’ sez the Sargint, an’ the orf’cer bhoy begins pleadin’ pitiful to Crook to be let go: but divil a bit wud Crook budge.