as either of those old cocks, if I hadn't knocked him down, when you must needs blaze away just as he turned over."

"Confound your impudence, Master Sandy," wrathfully replied the King; and words were getting high as to the rightful owner of the aforesaid bird, when a loud cry of "order" arose, and the wranglers were threatened with instant ejection if they presumed any further to disturb the harmony of the party.

A calm succeeded the storm-the lull so often following a tempest-during which the fragrant weed was put into general requisition, and under its soothing influence silence for a time prevailed.

At last Sam, who for some minutes past had been thoughtfully scanning the stalactites and stalagmites of our present mess-room, slowly taking the cigar out of his mouth, exclaimed, "Sacramens! you may talk of shots, but is it, after all, worth while wasting powder on these poor devils of pigeons? And I should like to know which of all your shots came near mine?"

"Why, my dear fellow," said I, "I did not.

know that you had even brought a gun with you-what do you mean?"

Sam looked ineffable contempt. "You don't suppose," said he, "that I would condescend to kill a blue pigeon?"

"Then what the devil are you trying to talk about?"

"Oh! he means," said Sandy, with a knowing wink, "the proudest moment of his life, when by a crow, he shot the roebuck at Castellar; isn't it so, Sam ?"

Sam, who was about to descant on the merits of that memorable shot, was rudely interrupted from all sides. "D-n that shot," cried one, "I wish it had been down your throat, for we've heard of nothing else for the last three months. Be off buck-shooting to Castellar with you."

"By Jove, 'tis almost as bad as those eternal Indian stories of the old hands," squeaked out an impudent youngster.

The uproar was then at its height; Sam, though a good-tempered fellow, would occasionally turn to bay, and now began to shew

EQUANIMITY RESTORED.

203

his teeth in earnest; besides, the last remark was a serious imputation on the old Indians, two or three of whom were present, and now 'deemed themselves bound to take up the cudgels; and it was some time ere I could succeed in restoring equanimity amongst the party, and give the youngster a hint of the impropriety of speaking so irreverently of his elders.

Order being again re-established, cigar cases might be seen circulating afresh, brandypawnee, concocted in strength and proportions according to the taste of the respective bibbers; and although Sam hung his nether lip, and still looked rather glum, good humour appeared the order of the day. The freshness of the grotto was now truly delightful, and momentarily increased, as the dark shadow of Calpe extended further and wider over the smooth sea before us; in short, we found ourselves so comfortable, that there appeared to be little disposition on the part of any one, for a move. Regimental stories of the good old times were trumped up, sporting anecdotes related-tales of tigers and elephants by de

grees crept in-Sam's sporting ardour fully revived, and smiles brightened up his hitherto clouded countenance, as we now found ourselves chulling at full cry over the wide plains of Hindostan.

"But now, Hugo, do tell me, without nonsense," I heard him say in a low tone of voice to his neighbour, "are not all these yarns about India rather overdrawn? If I thought not-why-Sacramens! I would try and get an exchange to-morrow, and see something of such noble sport."

"Not a bit overdrawn, my dear fellow; 'tis only Griffins like most of our young hands who fancy such a thing."

"But do you mean to say that out there, in all your antelope shooting, you ever heard of anything better than my"

66

Sam hesitated a moment; I knew what he meant, but Hugo whispered, Hush, not a word about the proudest moment."

66

'Well, then, do you mean to say that in the way of fox-hunting, as you call your greyhound work out there, you can come near the