e ever such a woman? Talk about Jael
in the Bible being blessed above women--why I don't set no value upon
her; she put a spike through a feller it's true, but it was precious
cowardly; but the Princess, she goes here and goes there visiting the
sick and poor and homeless, not like a princess, but like a real woman,
and that's why the people love her. No man despises a toady more than I
do--I'd give him up to the tender mercies of that wife of Heber the
Keenite any day; but if the Princess was to say to me, 'Look 'ere,
Sergeant, I feel a little low, and should like some nice little
excitement just to keep up my spirits and cheer me up a bit'" (several of
them thought this style of conversation was a familiar habit with the
Princess and Sergeant Goodtale, and that he must be immensely popular
with the Royal Family), "well, if she was to say, 'Look here, Sergeant
Goodtale, here's a precipice, it ud do me good to see you leap off that,'
I should just take off my coat and tuck up my shirt sleeves, and away I
should go."

At such unheard of heroism and loyalty there was a general exclamation of
enthusiasm, and no one in that company could tell whom he at that moment
most admired, the Princess or the Sergeant.

"That's a stunner!" said Joe.

"Princess by name and Princess by nature," replied the sergeant; "and now
look'ee here, in proof of what I say, I'm going to give you a toast."

"Hear, hear," said everybody.

"But stop a minute," said the sergeant, "I'm not a man of words without
deeds. Have we got anything to drink to the toast?"

All looked in their respective cups and every one said, "No, not a drop!"

Then said the sergeant "We'll have one all rounded for the last. You'll
find me as good as my word. What's it to be before we part?"

"Can't beat this 'ere," said Joe, looking into the sergeant's empty
glass.

"So say all of us," exclaimed Harry.

"That's it," said all.

"And a song from the sergeant," added Devilmecare.

"Ay, lads, I'll give you a song."

Then came in the pretty maid whom Joe leered at, and the sergeant winked
at; and then came in tumblers of the military beverage, and then the
sergeant said:

"In all companies this is drunk upstanding, and with hats off, except
soldiers, whose privilege it is to keep them on. You need not take yours
off, Mr. Wurzel; you are one of Her Majesty's Hussars. Now then all say
after me: 'Our gracious Queen; long may she live and blessed be her
reign-