Chapter 9 - Page 2

one horse, and he none of
the best! whose captain is as tough as a pepperidge log, and has as many
lives as a cat!"

"Faith," said the subaltern, smiling in his turn, "the log may yet be
split, and grimalkin lose his lives, if you often charge as madly as you
did this morning. What think you of many raps from such a beetle as laid
you on your back to-day?"

"Ah! don't mention it, my good Tom; the thought makes my head ache,"
replied the other, shrugging up his shoulders. "It is what I call
forestalling night."

"The night of death?"

"No, sir, the night that follows day. I saw myriads of stars, things
which should hide their faces in the presence of the lordly sun. I do
think nothing but this thick cap saved me for your comfort a little
longer, mauger the cat's lives."

"I have much reason to be obliged to the cap," said Mason dryly. "That
or the skull must have had a reasonable portion of thickness, I admit."

"Come, come, Tom, you are a licensed joker, so I'll not feign anger with
you," returned the captain, good-humoredly. "But Singleton's lieutenant,
I am fearful, will fare better than yourself for this day's service."

"I believe both of us will be spared the pain of receiving promotion
purchased by the death of a comrade and friend," observed Mason kindly.
"It was reported that Sitgreaves said he would live."

"From my soul I hope so," exclaimed Lawton. "For a beardless face, that
boy carries the stoutest heart I have ever met with. It surprises me,
however, that as we both fell at the same instant, the men behaved
so well."

"For the compliment, I might thank you," cried the lieutenant with a
laugh; "but modesty forbids. I did my best to stop them, but
without success."

"Stop them!" roared the captain. "Would you stop men in the middle of a
charge?"

"I thought they were going the wrong way," answered the subaltern.

"Ah! our fall drove them to the right about?"

"It was either your fall, or apprehensions of their own; until the major
rallied us, we were in admirable disorder."

"Dunwoodie! the major was on the crupper of the Dutchman."

"Ah! but he managed to get off the crupper of the Dutchman. He came in,
at half speed, with the other two troops, and riding between us and the
enemy, with that imperative way he has when roused, brought us in line
in the twinkling of an eye. Then it was," added the lieutenant, with
animation, "that we sent John Bull to the bushes. Oh! it was a sweet
charge--heads