corporal sprang back as from a
striking snake.

"You can't have any more beer, McCuaig," said the corporal, from a safe
distance.

"Watch me, sonny!" replied McCuaig.

With a single sweep of his hand, he snatched two bottles from the ledge
behind the corporal's head. Holding one aloft, he knocked the top off
the other, drank its contents slowly and smashed the empty bottle at the
spot where the corporal's head had been; knocked the top off the second
bottle and was proceeding to drink it, in a more or less leisurely
fashion.

"Private Timms! Private Mulligan!" shouted Corporal Ferry, reappearing
from beneath the counter. "Arrest that man!"

"Wait, sonny; give me a chance," cried McCuaig, in a wild, high,
singsong voice. Lifting his bottle to his lips, he continued to drink
slowly, keeping his eye upon the two privates, who were considering the
best method of carrying out their orders.

"There, sonny, fill that up again," cried McCuaig, good-naturedly, when
he had finished his drink, tossing the second bottle at the head of
the corporal, who, being on the alert, again made a successful
disappearance.

"Now, then, boys, come on," said McCuaig, backing toward the wall, and
dropping his hands to his hips. With a curse of disappointment that he
found himself without his usual weapons of defence, McCuaig raised a
shout, sprang into the air, cracked his heels together in a double rap,
and swinging his arms around his head, yelled:

"Come on, my boys! I'm hungry, I am! Meat! Meat! Meat!"

With each "meat," his white teeth came together with a snap like that
of a hungry wolf. Such was the beastly ferocity in his face and posture
that both Private Timms and Private Mulligan, themselves men of more
than average strength, paused and looked at the corporal for further
orders.

"Arrest that man," said the corporal again, preserving at the same time
an attitude that revealed a complete readiness for swift disappearance.
"Private McTavish," he added, calling upon a tall Highlander who was
gazing with admiring eyes upon the raging McCuaig, "assist Private Timms
and Private Mulligan in arresting that man."

"Why don't you come yourself, sonny?" inquired McCuaig. With a swift
sidestep and a swifter swoop of his long arm, he reached for the
corporal, who once more found safety in swift disappearance.

At that instant, the Highlander, seeing his opportunity, flung himself
upon McCuaig, and winding his arms around him, hung