ements, I had a great partiality for a certain bull pup,
mentioned by Lieutenant Flat in the former chapter, and which he had
made me a present of; the pup was now grown up, and I had taught it many
tricks; but the one which afforded me most amusement (of course, at
other people's expense) was, that I had made out of oakum a sham
pigtail, about a foot and a half long, very strong and think, with an
iron hook at the upper end of it.

The sham tail I could easily hook on to the collar of any one's coat
from behind, without their perceiving it; and Bob had been instructed by
me, whenever I told him to fetch it (and not before), to jump up at the
tail wherever it might be, and hang on to it with all the tenacity of
the race.

As it may be supposed, this was a great source of mirth in the barracks;
it was considered a good joke, and was much applauded by Captain
Bridgeman; but it was not considered a good joke out of the barracks;
and many an old woman had I already frightened almost out of her senses,
by affixing the tail to any portion of the back part of her dress.

It so happened, that one afternoon, as I was cruising about with Bob at
my heels, I perceived the newly-arrived Captain Delmar, in all the pomp
of pride of full uniform, parading down the street with a little middy
at his heels; and I thought to myself, "Law! how I should like to hang
my tail to his fine coat, if I only dared;" the impulse had become so
strong, that I actually had pulled up my pinafore and disengaged the
tail ready for any opportunity, but I was afraid that the middy would
see me.

Captain Delmar had passed close to me, the middy at his heels was
passing, and I thought all chance was gone, when, suddenly, Captain
Delmar turned short round and addressed the little officer, asking him
whether he had brought the order-book with him? The middy touched his
hat, and said, "No;" upon which Captain Delmar began to inflict a most
serious lecture upon the lad for forgetting what he had forgotten
himself, and I again passed by.

This was an opportunity I could not resist; while the captain and middy
were so well employed giving and receiving I fixed my oakum tail to the
collar of the Captain's gold-laced coat, and then walked over to the
other side of the street with Bob at my heels.

The middy being duly admonished, Captain Delmar turned round again and
resumed his way; upon which I called Bob, who was quite as ready for the
fun as I was, and po