aw-skin!"--"Smoke his pantaloons!"--"Them
there trousers is what I calls a knowing cut!"--"Look at the sign of the
Red Man!" &c., &c. Under this kind of file-firing I reached my barrack,
where I was doomed to undergo the same routine of quizzing, till at
length I got nettled, and told one of the boys, if he did not let me
alone, I should take the liberty of giving him a good threshing. This
"pluck," as they termed it, silenced most of my tormentors, and I was
permitted, for a time, to remain unmolested. In this interval the
drum-major went out, having first put my leathers, &c., into his box, of
which he took the key. I sat myself down on a stool, which might not
inaptly have been styled the stool of repentance; for here I began first
to think that soldiering did not possess quite so much delight as I had
pictured to myself. Still I resolved to put a good face on the matter,
and so mixed with my comrades, and in an hour was as free and as much at
home with them all as if I had known them for years. The drift of my new
acquaintances, in being thus easily familiar with me, was soon apparent;
for one of the knowing ones among them called me aside, and asked me if
I knew where to sell my coloured clothes; as, if not, he would go with
me, and show me. I told him that the drum-major had them. "Yes," replied
he, "I know he has; but you see as how he has no business with them.
Them there traps should be sold, and you get the money they brings; and
if you don't keep your eye on the fugleman, he will do you out of half
of them." He further said, that, when he enlisted, he got more than five
shillings for his things. I replied, that of course the drum-major would
either sell them for my benefit, or permit me to do it; and, if the
latter, that I should be thankful for his kindness. At this moment he
entered, when the boy, who had just spoken to me, approached him, and
said, pointing to me, "That there chap says as how he wants to sell
them things of his in your box, and that I am to go with him, to show
him the place where I sold my things." To this falsehood I could not
submit, and I therefore went up to the drum-major, and said, "Sir, I
said nothing of the kind; all I said was, that I supposed you would
either dispose of the things for my benefit, or allow me to do
so."--"Yes, yes," said the drum-major, "that's all right; I will sell
them for you, and you shall have the money." The boy here turned upon
his heel, muttering something