el and shot, was the worst off among us,--his plunge in the
river having brought on an ague he had labored under years before.

"The illustrious Maurice has been twice here this morning, but they
wouldn't admit him. Your Scotch physician is afraid of his Irish
_confrere_, and they had a rare set-to about Galen and Hippocrates
outside," said Baker.

"By-the-bye," said another, "did you see how Sparks looked when Quill
joined us? Egad, I never saw a fellow in such a fright; he reddened up,
then grew pale, turned his back, and slunk away at the very first moment."

"Yes, I remember it. We must find out the reason; for Maurice, depend upon
it, has been hoaxing the poor fellow."

"Well, O'Malley," growled out the senior major, "you certainly did give
Hampden a benefit. He'll not trust himself in such company again; and
begad, he says, the man is as bad as the master. That fellow of yours never
let go his prisoner till he reached the quartermaster-general, and they
were both bathed in blood by that time."

"Poor Mike! we must do something for him."

"Oh, he's as happy as a king! Maurice has been in to see him, and they've
had a long chat about Ireland, and all the national pastimes of whiskey
drinking and smashing skulls. My very temples ache at the recollection."

"Is Mister O'Mealey at home?" said a very rich Cork accent, as the
well-known and most droll features of Dr. Maurice Quill appeared at the
door.

"Come in, Maurice," said the major; "and for Heaven's sake, behave
properly. The poor fellow must not have a row about his bedside."

"A row, a row! Upon my conscience, it is little you know about a row, and
there's worse things going than a row. Which leg is it?"

"It's an arm, Doctor, I'm happy to say."

"Not your punch hand, I hope. No; all's right. A neat fellow you have for
a servant, that Mickey Free. I was asking him about a townsman of his
own--one Tim Delany,--the very cut of himself, the best servant I ever had.
I never could make out what became of him. Old Hobson of the 95th, gave
him to me, saying, 'There he is for you, Maurice, and a bigger thief and a
greater blackguard there's not in the 60th.'

"'Strong words,' said I.

"'And true' said he; 'he'd steal your molar tooth while you were laughing
at him.'

"'Let me have him, and try my hand on him, anyway. I've got no one just
now. Anything is better than nothing.'

"Well I took Tim, and sending for him to my room I locked the door, and
sitt