"
"Praise the Virgin!" murmured Dinah Shadd. But Mulvaney did not
hear.
"Whin I was about three-quarters av a mile off the rest-camp,
powtherin' along fit to burrst, I heard the noise av the men, an',
on my sowl, Sorr, I cud catch the voice av Peg Barney bellowin'
like a bison wid the belly-ache. You remimber Peg Barney that was
in D Comp'ny - a red, hairy scraun, wid a scar on his jaw? Peg
Barney that cleared out the Blue Lights' Jubilee meetin' wid the
cook-room mop last year?
"Thin I knew ut was a draf' av the Ould Rig'mint, an' I was
conshumed wid sorrow for the bhoy that was in charge. We was harrd
scrapin's at any time. Did I iver tell you how Horker Kelley wint
into clink nakid as Phoebus Apollonius, wid the shirts av the
Corp'ril an' file undher his arrum? An' be was a moild man! But
I'm digresshin'. 'Tis a shame both to the rig'mints and the Arrmy
sendin' down little orf'cer bhoys wid a draf' av strong men mad
wid liquor an' the chanst av gettin' shut av India, an' niver a
punishment that's fit to be given right down an' away from
cantonmints to the dock! 'Tis this nonsinse. Whin I am servin' my
time, I'm undher the Articles av War, an' can be whipped on the
peg for thim.
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