persuade I--trust
Joe for thic: couldn't persuade I to goo, nor yet not to goo."

"That's right," chimed in Miss Prettyface, with her sweet little voice.

"And thee sewed the colours on; didn't thee, Miss?"

"I did," answered the young lady.

"Joe," said Mr. Bumpkin, "I be mortal sorry for thee; what'll I do wirout
thy evidence? Lawyer Prigg say thee's the most wallible witness for I."

"Lookee 'ere, maister, ere we bin 'anging about for weeks and weeks and
no forrerder so far as I can see. When thy case'll come on I don't
bleeve no man can tell; but whensomdever thee wants Joe, all thee've got
to do is to write to the Queen, and she'll gie I leave."

"O thee silly, igerant ass!" said Mr. Bumpkin; "I can't help saying it,
Joe--the Queen doan't gie leave, it be the kernel. I know zummut o'
sogerin, thee see; I were in th' militia farty year agoo: but spoase thee
be away--abraird? How be I to get at thee then?"

"Ha! if I be away in furren parts, and thy case be in the list, I doant
zee--"

"Thee silly feller, thee'll ha to goo fightin' may be."

"Well," said Joe, "I loikes fightin'."

"Thee loikes fightin'! what's thee know about fightin'? never fit
anything in thy life but thic boar-pig, when he got I down in the yard.
O, Joe, I can't bear the thought o thee goin'."

"Noa, but Maister Sergeant says thee jist snicks off the 'eads of the
enemy like snickin' off the tops o' beans."

"Yes, but ow if thee gets thine snicked off?"

"Well, if mine be snicked off, it wunt be no use to I, and I doan't care
who has un when I ha' done wi un: anybody's welcome as thinks he can do
better with un than I, or 'as moore right to un."

"Joe, Joe, whatever'll them there pigs do wirout thee, and thic there
bull 'll goo out of his mind--he wur mighty fond o' thee, Joe--thee
couldst do anything wi un: couldn't ur, Joe?"

"Ha!" said the recruit; "that there bull ud foller I about anywhere, and
so ur would Missis."

"Then there be Polly!"

"Ha, that there Polly, she cocked her noase at I, maister, becos she
thought I worn't good enough; but wait till she sees me in my cloase; she
wunt cock her noase at I then, I'll warrant."

"Well, Joe, as thee maks thy bed so thee must lie on un, lad. I wish
thee well, Joe."

"Never wronged thee, did I, maister?"

"Never; no, never." And at this point master and man shook hands
affectionately.

"Gie my love to thic bull," said Joe. "I shall come down as soon as evir
I can: I