Fort Desolation | Page 6

They called
me a non-commissioned officer. I niver could find in me heart to
consociate wid them consaited commissioners--though there was wan
or two of 'em as was desarvin' o' the three stripes. But I niver took
kindly to sodgerin'. It was in the Howth militia I was. Good enough
boys they was in their way, but I couldn't pull wid them no how. They
made me a corp'ral for good conduct, but, faix, the great review
finished me; for I got into that state of warlike feeling that I loaded me
muskit five times widout firin', an' there was such a row round about
that I didn't know the dirty thing had niver wint off till the fifth time,
when she bursted into smithereens an' wint off intirely. No wan iver
seed a scrag of her after that. An' the worst was, she carried away the
small finger of Bob Riley's left hand. Bob threw down his muskit an'
ran off the ground howlin', so I picked the wipon up an' blazed away at
the inimy; but, bad luck to him, Bob had left his ramrod in, and I sint it
right through the flank of an owld donkey as was pullin' an apple and
orange cart. Oh! how that baste did kick up its heels, to be sure! and the
apples and oranges they was flyin' like--Well, well--the long and the
short was, that I wint an' towld the colonel I couldn't stop no longer in
such a regiment. So I guv it up an' comed out here."
"And became a fur-trader," said Jack Robinson, with a smile.
"Just so, sur, an' fort-builder to boot; for, being a jiner to trade and
handy wid the tools, Mr Murray sent me down here to build the place
and take command, but I s'pose I'm suppersheeded now!"

"Well, I believe you are, Teddy; but I hope that you will yet do good
service as my lieutenant."
The beaming smile on Teddy's face showed that he was well pleased to
be relieved from the responsibilities of office.
"Sure," said he, "the throuble I have had wid the min an' the salvages
for the last six weeks--it's past belavin'! An' thin, whin I sint the men
down to the river to fush--more nor twinty miles off--an' whin the
salvages wint away and left me alone wid only wan old salvage
woman!-- och! I'd not wish my worst inimy in me sitivation."
"Then the savages have been giving you trouble, have they?"
"They have, sur, but not so much as the min."
"Well, Teddy," said Jack, "go and fetch me something to eat, and then
you shall sit down and give me an account of things in general. But
first give my men food."
"Sure they've got it," replied Teddy, with a broad grin. "That spalpeen
they calls Rollo axed for meat the first thing, in a voice that made me
think he'd ait me up alive av he didn't git it. So I guv 'em the run o' the
pantry. What'll yer plaze to dhrink, sur?"
"What have you got?"
"Tay and coffee, sur, not to mintion wather. There's only flour an' salt
pork to ait, for this is a bad place for game. I've not seed a bird or a bear
for three weeks, an' the seals is too cute for me. But I'll bring ye the
best that we've got."
Teddy O'Donel hastened to the kitchen, a small log-hut in rear of the
dwelling-house, and left Jack Robinson alone in the "Hall."
Jack rose, thrust his hands deep into his pockets, and walked to the
window. It was glazed with parchment, with the exception of the centre
square, which was of glass.

"Pleasant, uncommonly pleasant," he muttered, as he surveyed the
landscape.
In front lay a flat beach of sand with the gulf beyond, the horizon being
veiled in mist. Up the river there was a flat beach with a hill beyond. It
was a black iron-looking hill, devoid of all visible verdure, and it
plunged abruptly down into the sea as if it were trying fiercely to
drown itself. Down the river there was a continuation of flat beach,
with, apparently, nothing whatever beyond. The only objects that
enlivened the dreary expanse were, the sloop at the end of the wooden
jetty and a small flagstaff in front of the house, from which a flag was
flying in honour of the arrival of the new governor. At the foot of this
flagstaff there stood an old iron cannon, which looked pugnacious and
cross, as if it longed to burst itself and blow down all visible creation.
Jack Robinson's countenance became a simple blank as he took the first
survey of his new dominions. Suddenly a gleam of hope flitted across
the