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What's the manual, sergeant, eh? Cock your firelock look to your priming present your firelock eh, sergeant? Oh, Jimini, I've broke your musket in halves!" "That's all right, sir," cried the gunner laughing. "You pressed on the lever and opened the breech-piece. That's where we load 'em, you know." "Load 'em at the wrong end! Well, well, to think o' that! And no ramrod neither!
It was calculated to hold about four hundred sheep at a time, and was divided into pens of various sizes, partitioned off for various purposes. If Harry Heathcote was sure of any thing, he was sure that his wool-shed was the best that had ever been built in this district. "By Jimini! what's that?" said Jacko. "Did you hear any thing?"
Here, at the sight of the guys, the sergeant's woeful countenance brightened somewhat. "'Ha! he exclaimed; 'Mrs. Gamway! I saw a good deal of her when I was in the Westminster division. I've often thought I'd like to and, by Jimini! I will! He squared up fiercely at the helpless-looking effigy of the lady, and, with a vicious, round-arm punch, sent its unstable head flying across the yard.
"Then here's the French, where my pipe lies; and over here, where I put my baccy pouch, was the Proosians a-comin' up on our left flank. Jimini, but it was a glad sight to see the smoke of their guns!" "And what was it that struck you most now in connection with the whole affair?" asked the colonel. "I lost three half-crowns over it, I did," crooned old Brewster.
They're hot about it at the non-com. mess, I can tell you, sir." "Eh eh," croaked old Brewster. "By Jimini! it wouldn't ha' done for the Dook; the Dook would ha' had a word to say over that." "Ah, that he would, sir!" cried the sergeant; "and God send us another like him. But I've wearied you enough for one sitting.
Why, darn my skin, I knew something was amiss! "With what?" "Why, with them soldiers. You saw them pass, doctor eh? They'd forgot their stocks. Not one on 'em had his stock on." He croaked and chuckled for a long time over his discovery. "It wouldn't ha' done for the Dook!" he muttered. "No, by Jimini! the Dook would ha' had a word there." The doctor smiled.
"Jimini!" cried he, his smiles breaking in an instant through his tears. "It's a fine pipe. See to my new pipe, Norah. I lay that Jarge never had a pipe like that. You've got your firelock there, sergeant?" "Yes, sir. I was on my way back from the butts when I looked in." "Let me have the feel of it. Lordy, but it seems like old times to have one's hand on a musket.
He breathed heavily while he devoured his food. "It's a middlin' goodish way you've come," said he at last. "Likely the stage left yesternight." "The what, uncle?" "The coach that brought you." "Nay, I came by the mornin' train." "Lor, now, think o' that! You ain't afeard o' those newfangled things! By Jimini, to think of you comin' by railroad like that! What's the world a-comin' to!"
In all them brown faces and tanned leathery white ones you can imagine what a pink rosebud she seemed to be; and it wasn't like that she stopped at that, for she could sing like a nightingale and talk to beat the band; and her laugh itself was like music, sounding long afterwards in your ears at sea. Hit? Jimini Christmas, I should say I was hit!
"I heard as they'd dropped the numbers and given them newfangled names. There they go, by Jimini! They're young mostly, but they hain't forgot how to march. They have the swing-aye, I'll say that for them. They've got the swing." He gazed after them until the last files had turned the corner and the measured tramp of their marching had died away in the distance.
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