Part 8 (1/2)

The soldiers halted.

”Break ranks!” cried Jimmieboy, after the corporal had told him the proper order to give next.

The soldiers broke ranks, and in sheer weariness threw themselves down on the soft turf at the side of the road--all except the corporal, who at Jimmieboy's request came and sat down at the general's side to make his report.

”This is fine weather we are having, corporal,” said the major, winking at the subordinate officer, and trying to make him understand that the less he said about the major the better it would be for all concerned.

”Yes,” returned the corporal. ”Better for sleeping than for military duty, eh, major?”

Here the major grew pale, but had the presence of mind to remark that he thought it might rain in time for tea.

”There's something behind all this,” thought Jimmieboy; ”and I'm going to know what it all means.”

Then he said aloud, ”You have had a very speedy recovery, corporal.”

Here the major cleared his throat more loudly than usual, blushed rosy red, and winked twice as violently at the corporal as before.

”Did you ever hear my poem on the 'Cold Tea River in China'?” he asked.

”No,” said the corporal, ”I never did, and I never want to.”

”Then I will recite it for you,” said the major.

”After the corporal has made his report, major,” said Jimmieboy.

”It goes this way,” continued the major, pretending not to hear.

”Some years ago--'way back in '69--a Friend and I went for a trip through China, That pleasant land where rules King Tommy Chang, Where flows the silver river Yangtse-w.a.n.g-- Through fertile fields, through sweetest-scented bowers Of creeping vinous vines and floral flowers.”

”My dear major,” interrupted Jimmieboy, ”I do not want to hurt your feelings, but much as I like to hear your poetry I must listen to the report of the corporal first.”

”Oh, very well,” returned the major, observing that the corporal had taken to his heels as soon as he had begun to recite. ”Very well. Let the corporal proceed.”

Jimmieboy then saw for the first time that the corporal had fled.

”Why, where is he?” he asked.

”I do not know,” returned the major, coldly. ”I fancy he has gone to the kitchen to cook his report. He always goes off when I recite.”

”Oh, well, never mind,” said Jimmieboy, noticing that the major was evidently very much hurt. ”Go on with the poem about 'Cold Tea River.'”

”No, I shall not,” replied the major. ”I shall not do it for two reasons, general, unless you as my superior officer command me to do it, and I hope you will not. In the first place, you have publicly humiliated me in the presence of a tin corporal, an inferior in rank, and consequently have hurt my feelings more deeply than you imagine. I am not tall, sir, but my feelings are deep enough to be injured most deeply, and in view of that fact I prefer to say nothing more about that poem. The other reason is that there is really no such poem, because there is really no such a stream as Cold Tea River in China, though there might have been had Nature been as poetic and fanciful as I, for it is as easy to conceive of a river having its source in the land of the tea-trees, and having its waters so full of the essence of tea gained from contact with the roots of those trees, that to all intents and purposes it is a river of tea. Had you permitted me to go on uninterrupted I should have made up a poem on that subject, and might possibly by this time have had it done, but as it is, it never will be composed. If you will permit me I will take a horseback ride and see if I cannot forget the trials of this memorable day. If I return I shall be back, but otherwise you may never see me again. I feel so badly over your treatment of me that I may be rash enough to commit suicide by jumping into a smelting-pot and being moulded over again into a piece of shot, and if I do, general, if I do, and if I ever get into battle and am fired out of a gun, I shall seek out that corporal, and use my best efforts to amputate his head off so quickly that he won't know what has happened till he tries to think, and finds he hasn't anything to do it with.”

Breathing which horrible threat, the major mounted his horse and galloped madly down the road, and Jimmieboy, not knowing whether to be sorry or amused, started on a search for the corporal in order that he might hear his report, and gain, if possible, some solution of the major's strange conduct.

CHAPTER VI.

THE CORPORAL'S FAIRY STORY.