DOCTOR UNONIUS.

MUTUAL EXCHANGE, LIMITED.






CORPORAL SAM.


CHAPTER I.


Sergeant David Wilkes, of the First (Royal) Regiment of Foot--third
battalion, B Company--came trudging with a small fatigue party down
the sandy slopes of Mount Olia, on the summit of which they had been
toiling all day, helping the artillerymen to drag an extra 24-pounder
into battery. They had brought it into position just half an hour
ago, and already it had opened fire along with another 24-pounder and
two howitzers mounted on the same rocky platform. The men as they
descended heard the projectiles fly over their heads, and paused,
distinguishing the scream of the shells from the dull hum of the
round-shot, to watch the effect of the marksmanship, which was
excellent.

Northwards, to their right, stretched the blue line of the Bay, where
a single ship-of-war tacked lazily and kept a two-miles' offing.