28 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



the back of the tent bed. The lamp at the foot of 

 the stairs, whereat he would have to light his candle, 

 Avas then carefully extinguished, and every body 

 retired to their rooms. Late at night the entrance 

 door opened, and my friend's voice was heard apostro- 

 phising the defunct light, and the trimming of lamps 

 by degenerate mess-waiters. Ere he had stumbled 

 many steps up the dark stairs, the goat, supposed to 

 be in the barrack yard, came in for his share of 

 malediction, for wafting his perfume even to the 

 officers* apartments. As the irate but unsuspecting 

 step neared the bedroom door, a creeping noise of 

 nails might be heard on its floor within, of dogs who 

 were tired of a blind melee in the dark with the 

 choleric goat, and who knew that they were where 

 they ought not to be, and that in all probability kicks 

 were coming. The nails all congregated to the crack 

 of the door, and when it was opened every dog 

 dashed over each other's back to get out, some 

 yelling with what they had, and others in expectation 

 of what they might get, and down stairs they all 

 went, an avalanche of canine fears. Having, as it is 

 supposed, kicked till he found the landing-place clear, 

 an angry voice from the kicker, it was presumed, was 

 directed towards the doors of suspected delinquents ; 

 and the words, " if I knew," and " cowards," were 

 distinguished by the side- split listeners, who were 

 well aware that the fun was not half over. The door 

 of the bedroom then closed with a bang, and the first 

 note of a renewed strife was that uttered by the 

 choleric goat, who was up on his hind legs butting 

 and baaing away like mad. The noise as of two com- 

 batants closing in a trial of strength was then heard, 

 the bedroom door was shortly reopened, and the goat 



