sturdy-looking
officer, who bore on his shoulder a tempting hind quarter of beef.

"There is a little history connected with this beef," as he lowered his
load. "Lieutenant," replied the Captain, interlarding his further
statement with oaths, to which justice cannot and ought not to be done
in print, and which were excelled in finish only by some choice ones of
the Division General. "I went out at sunrise, thinking that by
strolling among the rocks I might stir up a rabbit. I saw several, but
got a fair shot at one only, and killed it. While going into a fence
corner, in which were some thorn bushes, that I thought I could stir
another cotton tail from, I saw a young bullock making for me, with
lowered horns and short jumps. I couldn't get through the thorn bushes,
and the fact is, being an old butcher I didn't care much about it, so I
faced about, looked the bullock full in the eyes, and the bullock eyed
me, giving at the same time an occasional toss of his short horns. Now I
was awful hungry, never was more hollow in my life--the hardees that I
swallowed dry in the morning fairly rattled inside of me. By-and-by I
smelt the steaks, and a minute more I felt sure that he was a Rebel
beast. Our young cattle up North don't corner people in that way. What's
the use, thought I, and out came my Colt, and I planted a ball square
between his eyes. As I returned the pistol he was on his side kicking
and quivering. While looking at him, and rather coming to the conclusion
that I had bought an elephant after all, as I had not even a penknife to
skin it with, I spied that sucker-mouthed Aid of Old Pigeon-hole coming
from another corner of the field, cantering at full jump. I left,
walking towards Camp.

"'Captain, where was that picket-firing?'

"I pointed towards the wood, and told him that I thought it was along
the picket-line."

"'It must have been, I suppose,' said the Aid, in a drawling manner.
'The General was sure it was a rifle. The rest of us thought it a pistol
shot,' he said, as he rode off.

"When he got into the wood I returned to the bullock, cursing Old
Pigey's ears for want of experience in shots. They made me come mighty
close to being arrested for marauding.

"'Oh! whar did you git the jump-high?' said a darkie, who came up
suddenly, pointing to the rabbit which I had put on the fence, with
mouth open and a big show of the whites of his eyes. When he saw the
carcass he fairly jumped.

"'Massa has had me