You call me 'corporal,' and I am a lieutenant--the difference is not very great, no doubt, still----" "Lieutenant! Lieutenant!" exclaimed Sir Thomas.

"But the skipper told me you were a corporal, and that your father and all your family had been corporals before you!" At these words the young man threw himself back and laughed louder than ever, so merrily that the skipper and his two sailors joined the chorus.
"Forgive me, colonel!" he cried at last.

"The mistake is so comical, and I have only just realized it.

It is quite true that my family glories in the fact that it can reckon many corporals among its ancestors--but our Corsican corporals never wore stripes upon their sleeves! Toward the year of grace 1100 certain villages revolted against the tyranny of the great mountain nobles, and chose leaders of their own, whom they called _corporals_.

In our island we think a great deal of being descended from these tribunes." "I beg your pardon, sir," exclaimed the colonel, "I beg your pardon a thousand times! As you understand the cause of my mistake, I hope you will do me the kindness of forgiving it!" and he held out his hand.
"It is the just punishment of my petty pride," said the young man, still laughing, and cordially shaking the Englishman's hand.