Indeed, he stood that officer in good stead once; for encountering a compatriot acquaintance, a likely sort of fellow too, he helped her Majesty's army to a fine recruit.
"Here, Larry, ye blackguard," called he, "here's a gentman axing for yez." Larry, a hulking sheepish young Irishman, did not look particularly happy at this information, and replied,-- "And what's to prevent him axing ?" "Man dear, and is that the way ye address one of the Quane's foighting men?
Spake to him, meejor dear." The "dear meejor" at this point took up the discourse.
"Faith," he said, "till I saw Patrick here I thought there wasn't a single boy in the place smart enough to wear a red coat, but I see there's two of ye anyhow." And the sergeant laughed loud and clapped Larry on the back, and told him it was a shame for him to be walking about in boots full of holes, when he might be strutting up and down as fine as any gentleman in the place, to say nothing of regular pay and quarters, and all the chance of glory.

And Patrick added his persuasions, and quoted his own example as a great argument.

And between them Larry let the shilling drop into his hand, and the three went off to drink her Majesty's health, and then continued their pilgrimage through the streets.
At one street corner there was a rush of people, reading a newly-posted bill.

Fancy my astonishment as I read:--"L20 reward! Lost yesterday (February 4th), near Seatown Gaol, an old silver watch, of very little value to any one but the owner.

A piece of black ribbon was attached.
Any one bringing the above to the Reverend James Halliday, at 2, Quay Street, will receive L20 reward." How my heart beat as our party halted in front of this announcement.
Alas! my new master was not a scholar, and on satisfying himself the object of the people's assembling was not a fight, he took no further interest in the matter, but shouldered his way past with no more thought of me just at that moment than of the North Pole.
That night, as I lay in the dark in my new quarters, I had leisure to think over the strange turn which my fortune had taken.