OLDHAM.--There you, fly out again now; it's impossible to do any thing with a youngster unless he has a tractable disposition. Here now, as I said, is Cherbourg,--here Portsmouth,--this little streak that I draw with my finger, the Channel. Jersey is somewhere there by the devilled biscuits; dy'e understand, Lovell?
OLDHAM.--Good. Then this is our coast well manned, throughout its length, with troops: steady tried troops, mind, none of your gaping, staring boys:--well protected.
OLDHAM.--How should I know? The engineers do that; of course they'd protect 'em with glacis, or ravelins or tenailles, or some of those damned jawbreaking named things;--well protected by works and cannon.
O'SHEEVO.--Did you see that extraordinary cannon that West made in the mess-room this morning?
PIPECLAY.--Ah! yes,--not bad, but I've seen finer strokes than that. You should have seen Legge of the 32d play.
LOVELL.--Or Chowse of the artillery; by Jove! how he knocks about the balls! like an Indian juggler.
O'SHEEVO.--Both good hands; ye're not a bad fist at billiards yourself, Oldham.
OLDHAM.--I seldom play now;--getting old;--played many a good match in the 107th's mess-room; but I think I could astonish Master West.
PIPECLAY.--Well, if he'll play a match, I don't mind backing him against you even.
O'SHEEVO.--And I'll go five to four on the youngster to make the thing worth your while.
OLDHAM.--Oh! no, no; 'twouldn't do for me to be playing matches with a raw recruit like that: 'twouldn't be dignified.
O'SHEEVO.--Would it be more dignified if I said three to two?
OLDHAM.--Say two to one and I don't mind a rubber;--one rubber, remember.
O'SHEEVO.--Done then. Let's have it to-morrow, if we can. West comes off guard in the morning, so there's the more chance of his being steady and willing to play; when they get hold of him overnight, he's always shaky and sulky next day till four or five o'clock. A bad constitution is a sad tell-tale under a red coat; a bishop chokes, or an anti-corn-law leaguer is attacked with pleurisy from his exertions in the cause of humanity; a lawyer's nose gets red from having his mind continually on the stretch; but if an ensign's colours only tremble a little in a strong gale, he's set down for a hard goer.