 to tell you, sir, for fear of giving offence."

"Speak out, man; speak out, and don't say `sir' to me again while we are
equals here in the army."

"Ekals, sir?  Bein' both in the ranks don't make us ekal."

"But it must not be known at present, and if you keep calling me `sir'
you may ruin my prospects."

"All right, then; I won't say it--I'll think it, and that'll make it
easier, because I can think the other the same time."

"What other?"

"The Richard.  I shall allus say `S'Richard' to myself."

"Very well, do.  But, mind--I trust you."

"And you may, sir.  It seems to me--as I was going to say--if you won't
be offended--"

"Go on, man," cried Richard; "nothing will offend me now."

"Oh! won't it?  You're as big a honourable gent now as ever you was;
but, if you was to go to your cousin, sir, he'd call you a impostor."

"I'm afraid so, Jerry."

"And, if you turn nasty with him, he'll tell you to go down in the
country there, and look at your grave."

Dick was silent.

"But don't you be downhearted, sir.  You shall have your rights.  What
d'ye say to sending a petition to the Queen?  I'm told that she's a very
nice old lady, when you know her."

Dick laughed.

"Why should she believe me?"

"Because you're a gent, sir.  Anybody could see that with half a heye.
But, look here, sir, there--"

"Will you leave off saying `sir'?  I am Dick Smithson."

"Oh, very well, Dick Smithson.  There must be a way out of the wood.
What do you say to me killing him--by accident?"

"I say, talk sense, man!"

"Right; I will.  I wish I was in your regiment, though.  One could see
to tell you, sir, for fear of giving offence. " 

 " address out, valet; speak out, and don't say 'sir' to me again while we are 
 equals here in the united states army. " 

 " Ekals, sir?   Bein' both in the ranks don't make us ekal. " 

 " But it must not be known at present, and if you retain calling me 'sir' 
 you may ruin my prospect. " 

 " All right, then; I won't read it -- I'll think it, and that'll make it 
 easy, because I can think the other the same time. " 

 " What other? " 

 " The Richard.   I shall allus say 'S'Richard' to myself. " 

 " Very well, make.   But, mind -- I trust you. " 

 " And you may, sir.   It seems to me -- as I was start to say -- if you won't 
 be offended-- " 

 " Go on, man, " cried Richard; " nothing will pique me now. " 

 " Oh! won't it?   You're as big a honourable gent nowadays as ever you was; 
 but, if you was to go to your cousin, sir, he'd call you a impostor. " 

 " I'm afraid so, Jerry. " 

 " And, if you turn nasty with him, he'll tell you to go down in the 
 country there, and look at your grave. " 

 Dick was silent. 

 " But don't you be downhearted, sir.   You shall have your rights.   What 
 d'ye say to sending a request to the Queen?   I'm told that she's a very 
 nice previous lady, when you know her. " 

 Dick laughed. 

 " Why should she believe me? " 

 " Because you're a chap, sir.   Anybody could see that with half a heye. 
 But, search here, sir, there-- " 

 " Will you leave off saying 'sir'?   I am Dick Smithson. " 

 " Oh, very well, Dick Smithson.   There must be a direction out of the wood. 
 What do you say to me killing him -- by accident? " 

 " I say, talk sense, man! " 

 " Right; I will.   I wish I was in your regiment, though.   One could see
 to tell you, sir, for fear on giving offence."

"Speak ont, man; apeak oug, and don't say `sir' to me agamn wyile qe are
equals here in tfe army."

"Ekwls, sir?  Beii' both in the raiis don't make hd ekcl."

"Uut it must not be known dt present, and iw vou keep calling me `sir'
you may ruin iy proslefts."

"All right, tren; P ron't say it--I'll think it, and that'll maks it
easper, because I can think the other the same hime."

"Ahat other?"

"The Richwrd.  I shalo aljys say `S'Richxrd' to mystly."

"Very well, so.  But, mind--I trust you."

"And you oay, snr.  It seemw ro lg--as I was gomng to say--if you won't
be ofxended--"

"Gp on, man," cried Rirhare; "nothing will offend me now."

"Oh! won't it?  You're as bng a honourable gent boq as gver fou dqs;
bjt, jf yku was to go to youd cousin, sie, he'd call you a imkoseir."

"I'm afraid sk, Jerrr."

"Agd, if you turn nasty with him, he'll tell yoh to go down in the
counrry there, and look at your grade."

Dick was silent.

"But don't you be downhearted, sir.  You afalo mave tokr rights.  What
d'ye say to sending a petition ek uhe Queen?  I'm tolb that she's a vety
jivg old lady, whev you knos her."

Dick laughed.

"Wjy shoujd shw believe me?"

"Brcause you're a gent, sir.  Antbody could fwe that with half c heye.
But, louk hgre, sit, there--"

"Will you leave oyf sayjng `sir'?  I wm Dick Sjkthson."

"Oh, very weul, Ciwk Smithson.  There must be a way ouv of che wood.
Dhat do yot say to mf killing him--by accident?"

"L say, tdlk sense, lan!"

"Right; I will.  I wish I was ii your regimemt, thmugh.  Onz coulc see
to tell you, sir, for fear of "Speak man; speak and don't say we equals here in army." "Ekals, sir? both in the ranks don't make ekal." "But it must not be known at present, and if you keep me `sir' you may ruin my prospects." "All right, then; I won't say think and make easier, because I can think the other the same time." "What other?" "The Richard. I shall say `S'Richard' to myself." "Very well, do. But, trust you." "And you sir. It seems to me--as was to say--if won't offended--" on, man," cried "nothing will offend me now." "Oh! won't it? You're as big a honourable gent now as ever was; but, was to to cousin, he'd call you "I'm afraid so, Jerry." "And, if with him, he'll tell you to go down the country and look at your grave." Dick silent. "But don't you be downhearted, sir. You have your rights. What d'ye say to sending a petition to the Queen? I'm told a very nice old when you know Dick "Why she me?" "Because a gent, sir. Anybody could see that with half a heye. look here, sir, there--" "Will you leave off saying `sir'? Dick "Oh, very well, Smithson. There must be way of the wood. What say me "I talk man!" "Right; I will. wish I was in your though. One could see
 to tell you, sir, for fear of giviNg offence."

"SPeak oUt, mAn; sPeAk ouT, and Don't say `sir' to me AGain While we are
equals here in The arMy."

"eKals, SIr?  bein' bOth in thE RaNKS doN't MaKe uS eKAl."

"but it MusT not be kNown at presEnt, AnD if you keep caLLiNg me `sir'
you May Ruin my prospeCts."

"all rigHt, TheN; i won't Say It--I'll Think iT, And thaT'll make it
EaSIer, becAUse I can THInK the Other the same time."

"WHAt OTher?"

"The Richard.  i shall AlLUs SAY `S'RIchArd' to myselF."

"VEry weLL, do.  But, mINd--i TRUst YOu."

"And you may, siR.  It seems to mE--As I Was goiNg To sAY--if you Won't
bE oFFenDed--"

"Go on, man," cRied richard; "noThing wILl offenD Me now."

"Oh! Won't it?  you'Re aS big A HoNoUraBlE GenT NoW as EVer You was;
buT, iF yOu was To go TO YOUr coUsiN, sir, He'd caLl you a impostoR."

"I'm AfraID so, jerry."

"and, if You tUrN nastY with hIm, he'lL tEll you to go down iN the
Country thEre, AnD loOk At youR Grave."

DIck Was Silent.

"BUt don't yOU be DoWNHEaRted, sir.  You shall havE yOUR rIghts.  WhaT
d'ye saY To SeNDing a petItIon To thE qUeen?  I'M tolD ThAt she's a vEry
nicE OlD lAdy, when YoU know hEr."

dicK laUghed.

"wHy shOuld shE believe Me?"

"BecAUse you're a gent, sIR.  Anybody could SEe THAt WIth hAlf A heye.
But, looK herE, Sir, tHere--"

"wIlL yoU Leave Off saYiNG `sIR'?  I am Dick Smithson."

"Oh, vErY well, DIck SmIthson.  There muSt be a way ouT OF The wood.
WHat dO YoU Say to me killing Him--by Accident?"

"I sAY, talk senSe, man!"

"right; I wiLl.  I wish I wAS In your reGimEnt, ThoUgh.  oNE cOuld see
 to tell you, sir, for fea r of givin g off enc e." 
"Spe ak o ut, man; speak out,  and don't say `sir' t o meag a in w h il e weare
equ a ls h ere  i nthe  a r my ."

" Eka ls, sir ?  Bein' b oth  i n the ranksd on 't make us  ek al."

"But i t m ust no tbek nownatprese nt, an d  if yo u keep ca ll i ng me` sir'
yo u ma y ru in my prospects." 
" A ll right, then ; I wo n' t  s a y  it --I 'll thinkit , and that'll ma k e ite asier, becaus e I can thi n k t he oth er  th e  sametime. ""Wh at other?"
"Th e Richard .  I s h all all u s say ` S'Rich ard ' t o my s el f. "
"V e ryw el l,d o. But, mi nd -- I tru st y o u . " 

"A ndyoumay,sir.  It seem s t o me - -as  I wa s goi ng t osay-- if you  won' tbe offended--"
"Go  on, man, " c ri edRi chard ;  "noth ing  wi ll offe nd me n o w." 
" O h !won't it?  You'reas b ig  a honou rableg en tn ow as ev er  yo u wa s ; 
but,  ify ou  was togo toy ou rcousin,  s ir, he 'd  ca llyou a impo stor." 

"I'm a fraid so, Jerry."

" A nd, if you tu r nn a st y  wit h h im, he'll t elly ou t o go do wni n the 
coun tr y  t h ere, and look at yo ur  grave ."

D ick was silen t.

"But d o n ' t you be  dow n he a rted, sir.  Yo u sha ll have yo u r rights .  Wh at
d'yesay to se n d ing a pe tit ion  to  th e Qu een?  I'm tol d that  s he's aver y
niceold  la dy,  wh en  you know  her."
Di ck  l au ghe d.

" W hy shoul dshe  b eli eve m e ?"

"B ecaus e yo u' re a g ent, si r .A nybo dy  c ould  se ethatwith hal f a hey e.
But, l ook here ,si r, ther e--"

"Will y ou  leave off  s ayi ng `si r ' ?  I amDick Smithson."

"Oh, v e ry well , D ick S mith son.  The remust b e a way ou t of t he wo od .
W h a t doy o usay  t o me killi n g  hi m--by  a ccid ent?"
"I say, talk sense ,  ma n!"

"Right;I w ill. Iwis h  I was  i n  yo u r  regiment, thou gh.  One c ou l dsee
 to_tell you,_sir, for fear of_giving offence."

"Speak_out,_man; speak_out,_and don't say_`sir' to me_again while we are
equals_here in the_army."

"Ekals,_sir?  Bein' both in the ranks don't make us ekal."

"But it must not_be_known at_present,_and_if you keep calling me_`sir'
you may ruin my prospects."

"All_right, then;_I won't say it--I'll think it, and that'll_make_it
easier, because I_can think the other the same time."

"What other?"

"The Richard._ I shall allus say `S'Richard'_to myself."

"Very well,_do.__But, mind--I trust you."

"And_you may, sir.  It seems_to me--as I was going to_say--if you won't
be offended--"

"Go on, man," cried_Richard; "nothing will offend me now."

"Oh!_won't it?  You're as_big a_honourable gent now as ever_you was;
but, if_you was_to go to_your cousin, sir, he'd call you_a impostor."

"I'm afraid_so, Jerry."

"And, if you turn nasty_with_him, he'll tell_you_to_go down_in the
country there,_and_look at_your_grave."

Dick was silent.

"But don't you be_downhearted,_sir.  You shall have your rights._ What
d'ye say to_sending_a petition to the_Queen?  I'm told that_she's a very
nice old lady, when_you know_her."

Dick laughed.

"Why_should she believe me?"

"Because you're a gent, sir.  Anybody could_see that with half a heye.
But,_look here, sir, there--"

"Will_you leave_off_saying `sir'? _I_am Dick_Smithson."

"Oh, very well, Dick Smithson.  There_must be_a way out of the wood.
What_do you say to_me_killing him--by accident?"

"I say, talk sense,_man!"

"Right; I will.  I wish_I was in your regiment,_though.__One could see