nt.

We had some difficulty in bringing the man to his senses; but the
lieutenant finding a pitcher of water, poured the contents over him,
which effectually roused him up.

"Hullo! murther! are we all going to be drowned entirely at the bottom?
Sure the river's burst over us!" he exclaimed, springing out of his
bunk. He looked very much astonished at seeing the lieutenant and me;
but quickly bringing himself into position, and giving a military
salute, "All right, your honour," said he.

"Yes, I see that you are so now," said the lieutenant; "but little help
you could have afforded us, had we been attacked by the enemy. I must
call you to account by-and-by. What has become of your comrades?"

"Sure, your honour, are they not all sleeping sweetly as infants in
their bunks?" He peered as he spoke into the bunks which had been
occupied by the other men. "The drunken bastes, it was there I left them
barely two hours ago, while I jist turned in to get a quiet snooze. They
are not there now, your honour," he observed, with a twinkle in his eye;
"they must have gone out unbeknown to me. It is mighty surprising!"

"Why, you impudent rascal, you have been asleep for the last twelve
hours," said the lieutenant, scarcely able to restrain his gravity.
"Take care that this does not happen again; keep sober while you remain
here."

"Sure, your honour, I would not touch a dhrop of the cratur, even if
they were to try and pour it down me throat," he answered. "But I found
a countryman of mine living here. It is a hard matter, when one meets a
boy from Old Ireland, to refuse jist a sip of the potheen for the sake
of gintility!"

"Follow me to the house as soon as you have put yourself into decent
order," said the lieutenant, not wishing to exchange further words with
the trooper.

Pat touched his hat, to signify that he would obey the order, and the
lieutenant and I walked on.

"I cannot put that fellow under arrest, seeing that I have no one to
whom I can give him in charge," said the lieutenant, laughing. "But what
can have become of the others? I do not think, notwithstanding what
Sergeant Custis said, that they can have deserted. They would scarcely
make an attempt to get over this wild country alone, and on foot."

As soon as Pat made his appearance, the lieutenant ordered him to stand
on guard at the door, where he kept him until nightfall.

When our men came in, I inquired whether they knew anything of the
troopers