There was one minute to go, and there was great excitement. James gave one squeal of concentrated wrath, gathered his four hoofs together tightly, bucked four feet in the air, kicked in mid-ether, and tried to bite his own tail. When we next saw him he was being led gently away. Since then we have had many mules. We have become used to them, and we respect them. If we hear riot in the Transport lines we know it is a mule. If we hear some one has been kicked, we know it is a mule. If we see one of the G.S. wagons carrying about two tons we know mules are drawing it. Old James now pulls the water-cart. He would draw it up to the mouth of the biggest Fritz cannon that ever was, but Frank Wootton could not ride him! “OFFICE” “Charge against No. 7762543, Private Smith, J.C.; In the field, 11.11.16, refusing to obey an order, in that he would not wash out a dixie when ordered to do so. First witness, Sergeant Bendrick.” “Sirr! On Nov. 11th I was horderly sergeant. Private Thomas, cook, comes to me, and he says as ’ow ’e ’ad warned the pris-- the haccused, sir, to wash out a dixie, which same the haccused refused to do. Hordered by me to wash hout the dixie, sir, the haccused refused again, and I places ’im under hopen arrest, sir.” “Cpl. Townsham, what have you to say?” “Sirr! On Nov. 11th I was eatin’ a piece of bread an’ bacon when I was witness to what took place between Sergeant Bendrick an’ Private Smith, sir. I corroborates his evidence.” “All right; Private Thomas?” “Sirr! I coboriates both of them witnesses.” “You corroborate what both witnesses have said?” “Yessir.” “Now, Smith, what have you got to say? Stand to attention!” “I ain’t got _nothin’_ to say, sir, savin’ that I never joined the army to wash dixies, an’ I didn’t like the tone of voice him”--indicating the orderly Sergeant--“used to me. Also I’m a little deaf, sir, an’ my ’ands is that cut with barbed wire that it’s hagony to put ’em in boilin’ water, sir! An’ I’m afraid o’ gettin’ these ’ere germs into them, sir. Apart from which I ain’t got anything to say, sir!” After this Private Smith assumes the injured air of a martyr, casts his eyes up to heaven, and waits hopefully for dismissal. (The other two similar cases were dismissed this morning!) The Captain drums his fingers on the table for a few moments. “This is your first offence, Smith.” “Yessir!” “But it is not made any the less serious by that fact.” The gleam of joy in Smith’s eye departs. “Disobedience of an order is no trivial matter. A case like this should go before the Commanding Officer.” Long pause, during which the accused passes from the stage of hope deferred to gloom and disillusion, and the orderly Sergeant assumes a fiercely triumphant expression. “Twenty-eight days Field Punishment number one,” murmurs the Captain ruminatively, “or a court-martial”--this just loud enough for the accused to hear. The latter’s left leg sags a trifle, and consternation o’erspreads his visage.