Arrah! but ye came to the wrong boy when ye thought to play your tricks on me! Stan' still now, or as sure as you're alive you're a dead man;" and he gave Charlie a suggestive touch with the point of his weapon, which showed plainly he had every intention of being as good as his word.
Here was a predicament! and I could do nothing to help.
Charlie, fairly penned in a corner, was at a loss what to say or do.

He began in an angry strain,-- "Don't be a fool, sir; do you--" "Howld yer tongue!" roared Paddy, giving another poke with his bayonet.
Then Charlie attempted to laugh, which enraged the sentry all the more.
"Is it mock me, ye would, as well as rob me, ye foul-mouthed spalpeen, you ?" he cried.
"I don't want to rob you," put in Charlie.
"Faith and I'll see ye don't," retorted the Irishman.
"Listen to me an instant," besought Charlie.
"The sorra a word.

Ye shall say it all before the gineral the morrow, for there I'll take ye." For some moments Charlie stood in this awkward fix, not daring to stir, or even to speak, and with every prospect of spending the night with a bayonet point within an inch of his body.
Suddenly, however, a brilliant idea occurred to him.

If I really was his old watch, as he fancied, this man had possibly found me where Halliday had lost me.
It was a bare chance every way, but he determined to try it.
"So you are from Seatown!" he suddenly exclaimed.
The rifle literally dropped from the astonished sentry's hand.
"Who told ye that ?" he almost shrieked.
"Never mind," said Charlie, following up the advantage, and softly stepping out of his corner.

"It's two years since you left, isn't it ?" Patrick was "dumfoundered." This man must be in league, surely, with the powers of darkness! "_Now_ do you know why I want that watch ?" said Charlie sternly, at the same time quietly picking up the dropped rifle.