Boyne!--Corporal
O'Flynn and a settler."

For the first time in a week Stuart laughed with genuine hilarity.
"Mighty well!" he exclaimed. "Let us settle the important questions
between the Irish Catholics and the Irish Protestants before we go a
step further!"

But Demere was writhing under the realization of a relaxed discipline,
although when O'Flynn presented himself in response to summons he was so
crest-fallen and woe-begone and reduced, that Demere had not the heart
to take summary measures with the half-famished boxer.

"O'Flynn," he said, "do you deem this a fitting time to set the example
of broils between the settlers and soldiers? Truly, I think we need but
this to precipitate our ruin."

Stuart hastily checked the effect of this imprudent phrase by breaking
in upon a statement of Corporal O'Flynn's, which seemed to represent his
right arm as in some sort a free agent, mechanically impelled through
the air, the hand in a clinched posture, in disastrous juxtaposition
with the skulls of other people, and that he was not thinking, and would
not have had it happen for nothing, and--

"But _is_ the man an Irishman?" asked Stuart. "He has no brogue."

"Faith, sor," said the repentant O'Flynn, glad of the diversion, "he
hits loike an Oirishman,--I don't think he is an impostor. My nose feels
rather limber."

O'Flynn having been of great service in the crisis, they were both glad
to pass over his breach of discipline as lightly as they might; and he
doubtless reaped the benefit of their relief that the matter was less
serious than they had feared.

The next day, however, the expected happened. The unruly element, partly
of soldiers with a few of the settlers, broke into the smoke-house and
discovered there what the commandant was sedulously trying to
conceal,--_nothing_!

It stunned them for the moment. It tamed them. The more prudential souls
began now to fear the attitude of the officers, to turn to them, to rely
again upon their experience and capacity.

When the two captains came upon the scene, Demere wearing the affronted,
averse, dangerous aspect which he always bore upon any breach of
discipline, and Stuart his usual cool, off-hand look as if the matter
did not greatly concern him, they listened in silence to the clamor of
explanations and expostulations, of criminations and recriminations
which greeted them. Only a single sentence was spoken by either of
them,--a terse low-toned order. Upon the