"And even at home and in Parliament, when our general was sitting in
the gallery hearing them discuss how much money they would give him,
some of the members protested against our digging the old fraud up. It
was a handsome thing for the general to go there and face them down."
"It showed great tact, and I may say--delicacy," said Sam.
"Yes, indeed," said the captain. "That's his strong point."
"But I suppose that the war in South Africa was even greater," said
Sam.
"Rather. Why we captured four thousand of those Boers with only forty
thousand men. No wonder all Anglia went wild over it. Lord Bobbets went
home and they gave him everything they could think of in the way of
honors. It was a fitting tribute."
"The war is quite over there now, isn't it?" asked Sam.
"Yes," answered the captain, somewhat drily. "And so is yours in the
Cubapines, I understand."
"Yes," said Sam. "I think the Cubapine war and the South African war
are about equally over."
"Do you see that lieutenant there between your friend and the parson?"
"Yes."
"He got the Victorious Cross in South Africa. He saved a sergeant's
life under fire. You see his cross?"
"How interesting!" said Sam. "He must be a hero."
"That chap with the mustache at the bottom of the table really did more
once. He saved three men from drowning in a shipwreck in the Yellow
Sea.
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