286 I GO A-FISHING. 



" Yes, sir ; the Major always sends me to bed at the 

 third bottle, sir, and I always doesn't go. He's been a 

 telling you the old story, now hasn't he, sir?" 



" What old story, John ?" 



"Why, all about Miss Lewis, and Mister Tom, and the 

 General ?" 



"Yes." 



John laid his long black finger knowingly up by the 

 side of his nose, and looked at me. 



" Why, John — you don't mean to say — eh ?" 



" All the claret, sir ?" 



" What ! Sarah and the black horse, and — " 



"All claret, sir." 



"John, my man, go in and take care of him. He is 

 either asleep or drunk. Curious that ! Why didn't I 

 think that a man was hardly to be believed after the sec- 

 ond bottle, and perfectly incredible on the third. By Jove ! 

 he is a trump at a story, though." 



It would be difficult to describe all that I dreamed 

 about that night. 



