"What! not Major Brennan?" in surprise. "Why, he's always posed as a
bachelor among our fellows."

"Don't know anything about that, dear boy," indifferently, "but the
lady came in with him yesterday, was introduced to the crowd of us as
Mrs. Brennan, and he called her Edith. Deuced nice name, Edith. As
Brennan has shown such poor taste as to be absent to-night, I'm
inclined to give a little of my time to his lady. Far and away the
prettiest thing here."

Just at this moment I heard Bungay speaking to me agonizingly down the
chimney:

"Durn it all, Cap, I've--I've got ter sneeze."

There was a smothered struggle in the darkness above me, then a muffled
explosion that showered me with soot, and sounded to my startled nerves
like the report of a gun. I drew up my legs hastily, and had barely
done so when a heavily whiskered face peered up at me through the open
fireplace. It appeared so close I had no doubt he saw me, but his eyes
were unable to penetrate the darkness.

"Sounded devilishly like a sneeze," he said suspiciously, as he
straightened up again. "Must have been wind in the chimney."

"More likely bats," returned the other. "Well, so long, Somers; see you
in the morning. I'm going to give the fair Edith a whirl."

The cavalry legs shifted their position; the band resumed its
functions, and in the renewed activity and noise I began again the