Sam came forward,
bowing, blushing, and stammering.
"I am glad to see an officer of your country here, General," said His
Majesty. "May I ask your name? Ah, Jinks! I have heard your name
before. What do you think of expansion, General?"
"I beg Your Majesty's pardon," said Sam, "but I do not think. I obey
orders."
The Emperor gave an exclamation of surprise and delight.
"Hear that, gentlemen," said he in his own language, turning to his
officers. "He does not think; he obeys orders! There is a model for
you. There is a motto for you to learn. God has given you an Emperor to
think for you. Our friend here, with only a President to fall back on,
has perceived the truth that a soldier must not think. He thinks at his
peril. General," he added in English, "you have given my army a lesson
to-day which they will never forget. It will give me pleasure to
decorate you with the Green Cockatoo, third class."
Sam began to stammer something.
"Oh, yes, I remember. Your Government does not allow you to receive it.
If that restriction is ever removed, let me be informed," and the
Emperor passed on, while Sam determined to write to his uncle and have
this miserable civilian law changed. It so happened that there was a
great dearth of news at this time, and Cleary made the most of this
episode. It did almost as much to make General Jinks famous as anything
that he had done before, and he was widely advertised at home as the
officer who had astounded the Emperor by his wisdom and given a lesson
to the finest army in the world.
Pages:
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229