nd he
talked foolish-like, and 'twas easy seen he would never be a proper
man again. The others were taken up to Plymouth, and so went their
ways; but the trumpeter stayed on in Coverack; and King George,
finding he was fit for nothing, sent him down a trifle of a pension
after a while--enough to keep him in board and lodging, with a bit of
tobacco over.

"Now the first time that this man--William Tallifer, he called
himself--met with the drummer-boy, was about a fortnight after
the little chap had bettered enough to be allowed a short walk out of
doors, which he took, if you please, in full regimentals.
There never was a soldier so proud of his dress. His own suit had
shrunk a brave bit with the salt water; but into ordinary frock an'
corduroys he declared he would not get--not if he had to go naked the
rest of his life; so my father, being a good-natured man and handy
with the needle, turned to and repaired damages with a piece or two
of scarlet cloth cut from the jacket of one of the drowned Marines.
Well, the poor little chap chanced to be standing, in this rig-out,
down by the gate of Gunner's Meadow, where they had buried two score
and over of his comrades. The morning was a fine one, early in March
month; and along came the cracked trumpeter, likewise taking a
stroll.

"'Hullo!' says he; 'good mornin'! And what might you be doin' here?'

"'I was a-wishin',' says the boy, 'I had a pair o' drum-sticks.
Our lads were buried yonder without so much as a drum tapped or a
musket fired; and that's not Christian burial for British soldiers.'

"'Phut!' says the trumpeter, and spat on the ground; 'a parcel of
Marines!'

"The boy eyed him a second or so, and answered up: 'If I'd a tab of
turf handy, I'd bung it at your mouth, you greasy cavalryman, and
learn you to speak respectful of your betters. The Marines are the
handiest body of men in the service.'

"The trumpeter looked down on him from the height of six foot two,
and asked: 'Did they die well?'

"'They died very well. There was a lot of running to and fro at
first, and some of the men began to cry, and a few to strip off their
clothes. But when the ship fell off for the last time, Captain Mein
turned and said something to Major Griffiths, the commanding officer
on board, and the Major called out to me to beat to quarters.
It might have been for a wedding, he sang it out so cheerful.
We'd had word already that 'twas to be parade order, and the men fel