easy thing to do so. You can
tread on his toe, and ask him what he put it there for; or sit down
on his hat, and swear that he put it on the chair on purpose; or
tell him that you do not like the colour of his hair, or that his
nose isn't the shape that pleases you. It is the easiest thing in
the world to find something to quarrel about, when you have a mind
for it."

"Are you quite serious, Teddy?"

"Never more serious in my life.

"Have you heard about it, Gerald?"

"I heard them saying something about it, when we were waiting for
the colonel on parade, this morning; but I did not think much of
it."

"Well, of course, it mayn't be true, Gerald; but the colonel and
major both seemed to think that there was something in it. It
seems, from what they said, that the governor has had letters that
seemed to confirm the news that several regiments are on the march
south; and that stores are being collected at Cadiz, and some of
the other seaports. There is nothing, as far as we know, specially
said about Gibraltar; but what else can they be getting ready for,
unless it is to cross the Straits and attack the Moors--and they
are at peace with them, at present, just as they are with us? I
mean to think that they are coming here, till we are downright sure
they are not. The news is so good, I mean to believe that it is
true, as long as I can."

"For shame, Teddy!" Mrs. O'Halloran said. "You can't be so wicked
as to hope that they are going to attack us?"

"And it is exactly that point of wickedness I have arrived at," the
doctor said, again dropping into the brogue. "In the first place,
sha'n't we need something, to kape us from dying entirely of
nothing to do at all, at all, in this wearisome old place? We are
fresh to it, and we are not tired, yet, of the oranges and the wine
and the cigars, and the quare people you see in the streets; but
the regiments that have been here some time are just sick of their
lives. Then, in the second place, how am I going to learn my
profession, if we are going to stop here, quiet and peaceful, for
years? Didn't I come into the army to study gunshot wounds and,
barring duels, divil a wound have I seen since I joined. It's
getting rusty I am, entirely; and there is the elegant case of
instruments my aunt gave me, that have never been opened. By the
same token, I will have them out and oil them, in the morning."

"Don't talk in that way, Teddy. You ought to be ashamed of
yourself. It s