I had not been long absorbed in my reading, when the door opened, and the general, whose toilet was not yet completed, made his appearance.
"Egad, O'Malley, you startled me this morning.

I thought we were in for it again." I took this as the most seasonable opportunity to recount my mishap of the morning, and accordingly, without more ado, detailed the unlucky meeting with the commander-in-chief.

When I came to the end, Crawfurd threw himself into a chair and laughed till the very tears coursed down his bronzed features.
"You don't say so, boy?
You don't really tell me you said that?
By Jove! I had rather have faced a platoon of musketry than have stood in your shoes! You did not wait for a reply, I think ?" "No, faith, sir, that I did not!" "Do you suspect he knows you ?" "I trust not, sir; the whole thing passed so rapidly!" "Well, it's most unlucky in more ways than one!" He paused for a few moments as he said this, and then added, "Have you seen the general order ?" pushing towards me a written paper as he spoke.

It ran thus:-- G.O.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, VILLA FORMOSA, May 6, 1811.
_Memorandum_ .-- Commanding officers are requested to send in to the military secretary, as soon as possible, the names of officers they may wish to have promoted in succession to those who have fallen in action." "Now look at this list.