'"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."

''Twas a dear little orf'cer bhoy, an' by way av kapin' his heart up,
I tould him fwhat I saw wanst in a draf' in Egypt.'

'What was that, Mulvaney?' said I.

'Sivin an' fifty men sittin' on the bank av a canal, laughin' at a
poor little squidgereen av an orf'cer that they'd made wade into the
slush an' pitch the things out av the boats for their Lord High
Mightinesses. That made me orf'cer bhoy woild with indignation.

'"Soft an' aisy, Sorr," sez I; "you've niver had your draf' in hand
since you left cantonmints. Wait till the night, an' your work will
be ready to you. Wid your permission, Sorr, I will investigate the