"It's not fair to put such a task upon a man of my age," replied Steen,
"when you know that you have younger men here."

"It was you proposed it, then," said the sergeant, "and I say, Steen, if
you be a true man you have a right to go, and no right at all to shirk
your duty. But stop--I'll settle it in a word's speaking: here you--you
old Papish, where are you?--oh, I see--you're there, are you? Come now,
gentlemen, shoulder arms--all right--present anns. Now, you confounded
Papish, you say that you have often slept in my uncle's barn?"

"Is Mr. Graham your uncle, sir?--bekaise, if he is, I know that I'm in
the hands of a respectable man."

"Come now--was there anything particular in the inside of that
barn?--Gentlemen, are you ready to slap into him if we find him to be an
imposther?"

"All ready, sergeant."

"Come now, you blasted Papish, answer me--"

"Troth, and I can do that, sargin'. You say Mr. Graham's your uncle,
an' of coorse you have often been in that barn yourself. Very well, sir,
don't you know that there's a prop on one side to keep up one of the
cupples that gave way one stormy night, and there's a round hole in the
lower part of the door to let the cats in to settle accounts wid the
mice and rats."

"Come, come, boys, it's all right. He has described the barn to a hair.