and entering the marquee, where Marion was sitting with his officers,
he began to bow and scrape. As if not perceiving him,
Marion turned his head another way. The lieutenant then,
exceedingly embarrassed, came out with his apology, -- "I am sorry, sir,
to have outstayed my time so long; but -- but I could not help it --
but now I am returned to do my duty."

Marion turned very quickly upon him, and with a most mortifying neglect,
said, "Aye, lieutenant, is that you? Well, never mind it --
there is no harm done -- I never missed you."

The poor lieutenant was so completely cut up, that he could not say a word,
but sneaked off, hanging down his head, and looked much more
like a detected swindler than a gentleman soldier.

The officers, who were all prodigiously pleased with his confusion,
presently went out and began to rally him -- "Ah, ha, lieutenant,
and so the captain has given you a set down."

"A set down," replied he, very angrily, "a set down, do you call it!
I had rather a thousand times he had knocked me down --
an ugly, cross, knock-kneed, hook-nosed son of a b-t-h!"

The officers almost split their sides with laughing.
The story soon took wind; and the poor lieutenant did not hear the last of it
for many a day. I have often heard him say, that nothing ever
so completely confounded him, as did that dry, cutting speech of Marion.

"I was never at a loss before," said he, "to manage all other officers
that were ever set over me. As for our colonel, (meaning Moultrie)