“‘I’ve heard av you,’ sez he. ‘You tuk the town av Lungtungpen nakid.’
“‘Faith,’ thinks I, ‘that’s Honor an’ Glory, for ’twas Lift’nint Brazenose did that job. ‘I’m wid ye, sorr,’ sez I, ‘if I’m av use. They shud niver ha’ sent you down wid the draf’. Savin’ your presince, sorr,’ I sez, ’tis only Lift’nint Hackerston in the Ould Rig’mint can manage a Home draf’.’
“‘I’ve niver had charge of men like this before,’ sez he, playin’ wid the pens on the table; ‘an’ I see by the Rig’lations’—
“‘Shut your oi to the Rig’lations, sorr,’ I sez, ‘till the throoper’s into blue wather. By the Rig’lations you’ve got to tuck thim up for the night, or they’ll be runnin’ foul av my coolies an’ makin’ a shiverarium half through the country. Can you trust your noncoms, sorr?’
“‘Yes,’ sez he.
“‘Good,’ sez I; ‘there’ll be throuble before the night. Are you marchin’, sorr?’
“‘To the next station,’ sez he.
“‘Better still,’ sez I; ‘there’ll be big throuble.’
“‘Can’t be too hard on a Home draf’,’ sez he; ‘the great thing is to get thim in-ship.’
“‘Faith you’ve larnt the half av your lesson, sorr,’ sez I, ‘but av you shtick to the Rig’lations you’ll niver get thim in-ship at all, at all. Or there won’t be a rag av kit betune thim whin you do.’