ually the most sober of mankind, was, on the present occasion,
exceedingly drunk, while I, a full hour before that consummation, was
perfectly sober.

"'What d'ye want, sir?' inquired I, with something of severity in my
manner.

"'Come home,' said Tim, with a hiccough that set the whole table in a roar.

"'Leave the room this instant,' said I, feeling wrath at being thus made
a butt of for his offences. 'Leave the room, or I'll kick you out of it.'
Now, this, let me add in a parenthesis, was somewhat of a boast, for Tim
was six feet three, and strong in proportion, and when in liquor, fearless
as a tiger.

"'You'll kick me out of the room, eh, will you? Try, only try it, that's
all.' Here a new roar of laughter burst forth, while Tim, again placing an
enormous paw upon my shoulder, continued, 'Don't be sitting there, making a
baste of yourself, when you've got enough. Don't you see you're drunk?'

"I sprang to my legs on this, and made a rush to the fireplace to secure
the poker; but Tim was beforehand with me, and seizing me by the waist with
both hands, flung me across his shoulders as though I were a baby, saying,
at the same time, 'I'll take you away at half-past eight to-morrow, as
you're as rampageous again.' I kicked, I plunged, I swore, I threatened, I
even begged and implored to be set down; but whether my voice was lost in
the uproar around me, or that Tim only regarded my denunciations in the
light of cursing, I know not, but he carried me bodily down the stairs,
steadying himself by one hand on the banisters, while with the other he
held me as in a vice. I had but one consolation all this while; it was
this, that as my quarters lay immediately behind the mess-room, Tim's
excursion would soon come to an end, and I should be free once more; but
guess my terror to find that the drunken scoundrel, instead of going as
usual to the left, turned short to the right hand, and marched boldly
into Ship Quay Street. Every window in the mess-room was filled with our
fellows, absolutely shouting with laughter. 'Go it Tim! That's the fellow!
Hold him tight! Never let go!' cried a dozen voices; while
the wretch, with the tenacity of drunkenness, gripped me still harder, and
took his way down the middle of the street.

[Illustration: THE ADJUTANT'S AFTER DINNER RIDE.]

"It was a beautiful evening in July, a soft summer night, as I made this
pleasing excursion down the most frequented thoroughfare in the maiden
city, m