[Illustration: THE PERFECT SOLDIER
"THE EMPEROR GAVE AN EXCLAMATION OF SURPRISE AND DELIGHT"]
"Sam, your luck never gives out," said Cleary. "They'll make you a
major-general, I expect, now."
"I should rather like to have the thanks of Congress," answered Sam, as
if that were a mere bagatelle. This conversation occurred in a
restaurant. A young officer was sitting alone at the next table, and he
gave his order to the waiter in a high, penetrating voice.
"Bless my soul! if that isn't Clark," cried Cleary. "See, he's a second
lieutenant still. Let's ask him over to our table."
"Go ahead," said Sam, "but don't say anything about East Point."
Cleary invited him over as a fellow countryman, and the three men dined
together, never once saying anything to denote that they had met
before. Whether Clark noticed that Cleary was rather persistent in
offering him the red pepper for every course, it was impossible to
determine.
It was generally supposed that the Emperor had done all that could be
done in Porsslania, but those who believed this, knew little of the
resources of the first soldier of Christendom. Even Count von
Balderdash was ignorant of the card which his master had determined to
play in view of all mankind.
"Balderdash," said he one night, as the poor count sat trying to
repress his yawns and longing for bed,--"Balderdash, we have shown the
heathen here what we can do.
Pages:
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230