The master walked about it seriously; then he smiled.
"It is already not so bad," said he, in that funny English of which he was so proud.

"No, already not so bad." We all drew a deep breath of relief; and Corporal John (as the most considerable junior present) explained to him it was intended for a public building, a kind of prefecture-- "He! Quoi ?" cried he, relapsing into French.

"Qu'est-ce que vous me chantez la?
O, in America," he added, on further information being hastily furnished.

"That is anozer sing.

O, very good, very good." The idea of the required certificate had to be introduced to his mind in the light of a pleasantry--the fancy of a nabob little more advanced than the red Indians of "Fennimore Cooperr"; and it took all our talents combined to conceive a form of words that would be acceptable on both sides.