THIM

Whin I am servin' my time, I'm undher the Articles av War, an' can be whipped on the peg for thim. But whin I've served my time, I'm a Reserve man, an' the Articles av War haven't any hould on me.

The tent-ropes was all skew- nosed, an' the pegs looked as dhrunk as the men - fifty av thim - the scourin's, an' rinsin's, an' Divil's lavin's av the Ould Rig'mint.

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 counthry.

"'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 inship at all, at all.

They come round me an' shuk me, an' I tould thim I was in privit employ wid an income av me own, an' a drrrawin'-room fit to bate the Quane's; an' wid me lies an' me shtories an' nonsinse gin'rally, I kept 'em quiet in wan way an' another, knockin' roun' the camp.'Twas bad even thin whin I was the Angil av Peace.

"I talked to me ould non-coms - they was sober - an' betune me an' thim we wore the draf' over into their tents at the proper time.

There's no idleness for thim that don't know their ropes.

'Tis dollars an' cents I'm puttin' into your pocket, ye skinny little supercargo, so that fwhin ye've filled out ye can ship from Boston to Cuba an' tell thim Long Jack l'arned you.