Costiff's interference, I should have taken very serious notice of these abominable concerts."

Pierce observed that the major's wrath was kindling, and not wishing to be engaged in either the defence or condemnation of his friend Breakpeace, pleaded the fatigues of the day as an excuse for his early departure, and took his leave, not, however, without receiving the major's warm assurances that both he and Mrs. C. would be always happy in affording him the same description of refreshment which he had that evening experienced.

The faithful Carbine had been some time expecting his master's arrival at the barracks, where military etiquette forbade him to appear before he had personally reported himself to the officer commanding. Pat was whiling away the time in social converse with Phil Kilcock, the sentry, at the gate, whose cares he endeavoured to lighten, by occasionally transferring from his own mouth to that of his friend about three inches of the veteran fragment of a clay pipe, well charged with strong short-cut tobacco.

"Sentry!" hallooed the cornet, and kicked against the wicket.

"Who's there?" replied the guardian of the gate, facilitating his articulation by a removal of the pipe.

"Sure 'tis my master," said Carbine; "what's the use of axing? I'll be bound you wouldn't be so regular if 'twas a glass of punch was jingling against the door.".

But Phil was always most particular in performing the duties of sentry when there was the least occasion for being so; and although he would not have hesitated to have let in half the troop three hours after watchsetting, or as many disorderly persons of another sex and description, at any hour of the night, yet in the presence or hearing of an officer, Phil was discipline personified. In this case, therefore, he duly waited for the corresponding answer of "A friend,"

before he made any effort to draw back the bolt. Pat welcomed his master; and in answer to the cornet's inquiries, concerning his horses and barrack-room, reported that the former were "in great heart;" and that as to the latter," why his missus had been on her knees at it since morning."

As the cornet was about to ascend the staircase, Pat cautioned him, in a low voice, to take care how he went round the corner of the passage, "for," continued he, "I hear say, Sir, since you left, the gentle. men do be blowing up the old doctor at night; and your honour might get hurted."

66

Blowing up the doctor," said Pierce; "what do you mean?"

But no reply was necessary from Pat; for scarce had the question been asked, when a loud explosion in the passage, followed by shouts and the firing of pistols, saluted their ears. The well-known appeal of Cuthbert was now heard amid the general confusion, and "See now! see now!" denoted the object of operation of the belligerents.

These Pierce found to consist of his former coad, jutors in the execution of " Banna's Banks," who, when Major and Mrs. Costiff's departure deprived them of those auditors who alone held their musical powers in due estimation, transferred their abilities to the more professional application of waging open war upon the poor A.S.S. This had become a regular evening's entertainment for the ci-devant musicians, who, after exciting the doctor's resistance by frequent and most unseasonable interruptions into his territory, which were generally attended by a dislodgement of the occupier from his bed, had now organized their operations into a regular siege, and just on the cornet's arrival at the staircase, had blown up the face of the doctor's bastion with a fougass, or, as may be more intelligible to those unacquainted with the science of

fortification, broken off the lock of his door, by igniting as much gunpowder as the key-hole would contain.

The cornet was hailed with warmth by his old friends, who immediately invited him to reinforce the besiegers; this, however, Pierce declined: and Breakpeace having declared the breach practicable, they no longer delayed the assault, and entered the doctor's apartment with most boisterous proclamations of victory.

Although the cornet objected to take an active part in the siege, he thought there was no harm in appearing as an amateur, and accordingly followed the noisy party into the captured fortress.

Poor Cuthbert was found seated tailor-wise on his. bed; a night-cap, presumed to have been white when it last arrived from the washer-woman, received just support enough from his greasy. head to retain its position; his short shirt, devoid of buttons, or other conjunctive appendages, at either neck or wrists, laid bare a frontispiece of humanity that seemed still less acquainted with soap and water than the frouzy covering of his head; a barrack poker trembled in his right hand, a broken chair supported his left; despair sat upon his unshaven visage, and he appeared to be prepared for the worst

Intonuere poli, et crebris micat ignibus æther,
Præsentemque viris intentant omnia mortem.

"See now ! see now !" faltered the trembling doctor, and put forth the weapons of both hands in a forlorn effort of defence.

66

Hurrah!" said Breakpeace, "you are going to make fight, are you, old uncias duas? stir him up there: hurrah! fiat lotio."

"See now! see now, captain!" supplicated the trembling Cuthbert.

"I see you, Sir," replied the leader of the forlorn

hope, "and beg to know what you mean by locking your door, and daring to resist our entrance, thereby putting me to the expense and trouble of preparing a fougass to blow up your outworks. Hurrah! A.S.S. Cuthbert, Submurias Hydrargyri, uncias duas fiat dislodgement-take him by a coup de main."

So saying, the merry captain seized the doctor's spindle-sized legs, and threatened them with an instant transfer to the floor.

The benevolent cornet now interposed, and on the part of the besieged sued for an armistice; at the same time attaching great blame to the doctor for having so long held out, and recommending him, in all cases where the deficiency of force was on the side of the besieged, to adopt the more pacific policy of surrendering at discretion.

Breakpeace, on the part of the besiegers, consented. to grant a suspension of arms, until such time as the doctor should, by any act of hostility, or insubordination, overt, implied, or capable of being so interpreted, require and provoke an investment of his fortress, the total destruction of his works, and the extirpation of his garrison.

Which conditions of surrender being agreed to by the contending parties, and duly witnessed, the armis tice was declared in operation, and the belligerents retired to their several quarters,

CHAPTER XI.

ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE.

No definitions touch your senseless mind;
To you, no postulates prefer their claim,
No ardent axioms your dull souls inflame;
For you no tangents touch, no angles meet,
No circles join in osculation sweet!

Loves of the Triangles.

Se

An order to appear for examination at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, now, obliged our hero to change the current of his thoughts and attention. veral months past he had applied for permission to be admitted a student at the senior department of that establishment; but other, and much more grossing events having intervened, the college had completely vanished from his thoughts, and the preparation necessary for his entrance examination.

The month of January had already commenced, and the cornet was summoned to appear at Sandhurst on the first of the ensuing February. Not a single book, connected with the college course, had been looked into by him-even his school arithmetic had not been refreshed-decimals, fractions, and proportion, he recollected but the names of. The cornet numbered the few days that were allowed him for preparation, and trembled.

"Every candidate," say the regulations for the students of the senior department of the Royal Military College," will have to undergo an examination previous to admission. The examination will be chiefly in the elements of geometry; but if deemed necessary, it will be extended to other elementary parts of