The Amateur Gentleman

Concerning Mr. Shrig's Little Reader A small, dim chamber, with many glasses and bottles arrayed very

precisely on numerous shelves; a very tall, broad-shouldered man who

smiled down from the rafters while he pulled at a very precise

whisker with his right hand, for his left had been replaced by a

shining steel hook; and Mr. Shrig who shook his placid head as he

leaned upon a long musket whose bayonet twinkled wickedly in the dim

light; all this Barnabas saw as, sighing, he opened his eyes.

"'E's all right now!" nodded the smiling giant.

"Ha!" exclaimed Mr. Shrig, "but vith a lump on 'is 'ead like a negg.

'Run!' I sez. 'No!' sez 'e,--and 'ere's me vith vun eye a-going into

mourning, and 'im vith a lump on 'is nob like a noo-laid egg!"

"'E's game though, Jarsper," said the benevolent giant.

"Game! I believe you, Corp!" nodded Mr. Shrig. "Run!' I sez. 'No!'

sez 'e. 'Then v'ot vill you do?' sez I. 'Make them!' sez 'e. Game?

Lord love me, I should say so!" Here, seeing Barnabas sit upright,

Mr. Shrig laid by the musket and came towards him with his hand out.

"Sir," said he, "when them raskels got me down they meant to do for

me; ah! they'd ha' given me my quietus for good an' all if you

'adn't stood 'em off. Sir, if it ain't too much, I should like to

shake your daddle for that!"

"But you saved my life twice," said Barnabas, clasping the proffered

hand.

"V'y the coping-stone I'll not go for to deny, sir," said Mr. Shrig,

stroking his smooth brow, "but t'other time it were my friend and

pal the Corp 'ere,--Corporal Richard Roe, late Grenadiers. 'E's only

got an 'ook for an 'and, but vith that 'ook 'e's oncommonly 'andy,

and as a veapon it ain't by no means to be sneezed at. No, 'e ain't

none the worse for that 'ook, though they thought so in the army,

and it vere 'im as brought you off v'ile I vos a-chasing of the

enemy vith 'is gun, yonder."

"Why, then I should like to thank Corporal Richard Roe," said

Barnabas,--(here the Corporal tugged at his precise and carefully

trimmed whisker again), "and to shake his hand as well." Here the

giant blushed and extended a huge fist.

"Honored, sir," said he, clicking his heels together.

"And now," said Mr. Shrig, "ve're all a-going to drink--at my

expense."