Our Odd-men 



been regarded with some awe and not a 

 little affection by the handful of men under 

 him. He was a strict disciplinarian, and 

 rigorous to the verge of harshness in the 

 maintenance of sobriety, order, and a good 

 appearance among his men. One of them, 

 Tom Larkin, w^as a terrible pickle, and had 

 strong leanings towards loose ways and 

 pot-house pleasures. One day, Sergeant 

 George having discovered Private Larkin's 

 accoutrements and whole belongfinofs in a 

 state of neglect, felt that the time was ripe 

 for action. Accordingly he traced Tom to 

 his snug retreat in the ''Jolly Shepherd," 

 and found the fellow as merry as a cricket 

 over his pot, and as impudent as you 

 please. He merely grinned when he saw 

 his sergeant enter, waved his mug in his 

 face, and refused to budge from that place 

 for Sergeant George or any other non- 

 commissioned officer in his Majesty's 

 service. Whereupon Sergeant George 

 took the private in one hand, and a boot- 

 jack (the only thing there handy for his 

 purpose) in the other, he jammed his head 

 between his knees, and, in his own words : 

 '' I did vop him, and vop him, and vop 

 him, so dat he could not sit upon his chair 

 during one week. And if I may be allowed 

 to express the sentiments of my mind," 

 175 



