is letter inflicts upon you. Get back as quickly as you can, and
we'll try if Crawfurd won't pull you through the business. In any
case, expect no sympathy; and if you feel disposed to be angry with
all who laugh at you, you had better publish a challenge in the next
general order. George Scott, of, the Greys, bids me say, that if
you're hard up for cash, he'll give you a couple of hundred for
Mickey Free. I told him I thought you'd accept it, as your uncle
has the breed of those fellows upon his estate, and might have no
objection to weed his stud. Hammersley's gone back with the Dashwoods;
but I don't think you need fear anything in that quarter.
At the same time, if you wish for success, make a bold push for the
peerage and half-a-dozen decorations, for Miss Lucy is most decidedly
gone wild about military distinction. As for me, my affairs go on
well: I've had half-a-dozen quarrels with Inez, but we parted good
friends, and my bad Portuguese has got me out of all difficulties with
papa, who pressed me tolerably close as to fortune. I shall want
your assistance in this matter yet. If parchments will satisfy him, I
think I could get up a qualification; but somehow the matter must
be done, for I'm resolved to have his daughter.

The orderly is starting, so no more till we meet.

Yours ever, FRED POWER.

"Godwin," said I, as I closed the letter, "I find myself in a scrape at
headquarters; you are to take the command of the detachment, for I must set
out at once."

"Nothing serious, I hope. O'Malley?"

"Oh, no; nothing of consequence. A most absurd blunder of my rascally
servant."

"The Irish fellow yonder?"

"The same."

"He seems to take it easily, however."

"Oh, confound him! he does not know what trouble he has involved me in; not
that he'll care much when he does."

"Why, he does not seem to be of a very desponding temperament. Listen to
the fellow! I'll be hanged, if he's not singing!"

"I'm devilishly disposed to spoil his mirth. They tell me, however, he
always keeps the troop in good humor; and see, the fellows are actually
cleaning his horses for him, while he is sitting on the bank!"

"Faith, O'Malley, that fellow knows the world. Just hear him."

Mr. Free was, as described, most leisurely reposing on a bank, a mug of
something drinkable beside him, and a pipe of that curtailed proportion
which an Irish