others like 'em."

Then he that was called Mulledwiney told a story. In the middle of
it Miaow got up from the limb of the tree, coughed slightly, and
put her paw delicately over her mouth. "You must excuse me," she
said faintly. "I am taken this way sometimes--and I have left my
salts at home. Thanks! I can get down myself!" The next moment
she had disappeared, but was heard coughing in the distance.

Mulledwiney winked at his companions and continued his story:--

"Wid that we wor in the thick av the foight. Whin I say 'thick' I
mane it, sorr! We wor that jammed together, divil a bit cud we
shoot or cut! At fur-rest, I had lashed two mushkits together wid
the baynits out so, like a hay fork, and getting the haymaker's
lift on thim, I just lifted two Paythians out--one an aych baynit--
and passed 'em, aisy-like, over me head to the rear rank for them
to finish. But what wid the blud gettin' into me ois, I was
blinded, and the pressure kept incraysin' until me arrums was
thrussed like a fowl to me sides, and sorra a bit cud I move but me
jaws!"

"And bloomin' well you knew how to use them," said Otherwise.

"Thrue for you--though ye don't mane it!" said Mulledwiney,
playfully tapping Otherwise on the head with a decanter till the
cut glass slowly shivered. "So, begorra! there wor nothing left
for me to do but to ATE thim! Wirra! but it was the crooel
worruk."