I looked out and saw that he was standing face to face with a fine soldierly-looking fellow in uniform, who wore a cockade of ribbons on his shako.
"Good evening, my lad," said the soldier.
"Good evening, cap'n," said the youth.
"Not cap'n just yet," said the other, laughing; "call it sergeant." "Well, sargint.

Good evening to ye, sargint." "I've been looking for you all day, that I have," said the sergeant.
"What, me!" said my new master, in astonishment.
"Well, I was told to look out for the finest young fellow in the place, and that's about the same thing." The lad chuckled at this vastly, and then said,-- "And what might ye be wanting me for, gineral, at all at all ?" "Faith, Patrick," said the sergeant, adopting the Irish brogue as if he had been a native, "to give yez a message from the Quane, just." "The Quane!" shouted the Irishman.
"Sure, no other.

She wants your help, my lad." "And she shall have it, bless her! What can I do at all ?" "Arrah, she wants yez to foight a blackguard or two that's guv' her impidence." "They have! I'm yer boy for a shindy.

Where are they, colonel ?" "Not far off.

And, by the way, she sent ye this bran new shillin' with her best respex to ye, Pat; and sez I'm to axe ye what you'll take to drink her health in; so come along, my lad." Patrick did come along, and of course was duly and willingly enlisted by his new friend, who promised him honour, and glory, and riches enough to make a commander-in-chief's mouth water.
My new master, perhaps, was fond of making himself out a greater simpleton than he really was.