approved tonsorial ornament known in barrack-room parlance as a "quiff."
His complexion was of that peculiar olive-brown shade especially
noticeable in most Anglo-Indians. In his smart, soldierly aspect,
biting, jerky Cockney speech and clipped, wax-pointed moustache he
betrayed unmistakably the ex-Imperial cavalry-man.

"Old sweats!" he echoed sarcastically--he pronounced it "aoweld"--"Yas!
you go tell that t' th' Marines, me lad! . . . Took a few o' th' sime
'old sweats' t' knock ''Ay Leg!' 'Straw Leg' inter some o' you mossbacks
at th' stort orf. Gee! Har! oh, gorblimey, yas!" He illustrated his
trenchant remarks in suggestive pantomime.

"Ah!" quoth McCullough blithely, "Yu' know th' sayin'--'Old soldier--old
stiff?' . . ."

His adversary burnished a spur viciously. "Old pleeceman--old son of
a--" he retorted with a spiteful grin. "W'y, my old Kissiwasti here
knows more abaht drill'n wot you do." He indicated a rather
disreputable-looking gray parrot, preening itself in a cage which stood
upon a cot nearby.

At the all-familiar sound of its name the bird suddenly ceased its
monotonous beak and claw gymnastics for a space, becoming on the instant
alertly attentive. There came a preliminary craning of neck and winking
of white-parchment-lidded eyes, and then, in shockingly human fashion it
proceeded to give voluble utterance to some startling samples of
barrack-room profanity. Its shrill invective would have awakened the
dead. The whistling, regular snores of the sleeper suddenly wound up
with a gasping gurgle; he opened his eyes and, in a strong cereal accent
gave vent to a somnolent peevish protest.