window, by dis time, I was hear some low grumbling voices, and coughs, and loud yawns; den I hear hollow tumbling sounds like when drum is place on de ground; den more grumbles, and coughs, and yawns; den de squeaking of de drum braces, as de leetle drummer pull dem tight, and de tootletoo of de fifer, as dem get all ready. At length Old Spearpoint, de drum-major, sing out wery gruff, 'fall in, music,' and next minute roll went de drum, squeak went de fife; roll went de drum, squea-eak went de fife very shrill; roll went de drum de tird time, and squea-ea-eak went de fife, very too dam shril dis last time; and away dem stamp rum dum dum round de barrick-yard wid dere reveillie. We all tumble out, and fall in on parade--still dark--we stand to our arms, de moon go down, but de morning star glance cold and clear on de bayonet and bright barrels of de guns--de great Duke no was brown de barrel den, God bless him. Search arms,' de sergeant say. We do so--half pace to de right--so in dat position I see well what Ogly Jack, who was my rear rank man, was do. De Serjeant approach me--I send down my steel ramrod wid one bang--he shomp up wid a loud ring one foot out of my musket--it really surprise me how far de ramrod shomp, as I send him home wid scarcely no strength none at all. 'Ha, no for noting my ramrod shomp so, someting past common here,' say I to myshef--de next man to me in de front rank was Yellow-skin Paul, and de next man to Ogly Jack was Mundingo Tom. As me Quacco was de right hand man of de front rank of de grenadiers, so Jack was de right hand man of de rear rank--well, Yellow-skin Paul make believe dat him send him ramrod home, but I notice he catch him between his finger and tumb, so as he never reach de bottom. 'Ho, ho,' tink I to myself, 'who shall say dat gun no load!' I keep quite still--de Serjeant by and by come to Jack--he catch de ramrod same way, and de Serjeant being half asleep, eider did not notice dis, or him tought noting about it. Presently he desire Mundingo Tom to search arms--he bang his ramrod down I saw, wid design to catch him like de oders, but in his hurry it slipt troo his fingers, and go home _thud_. 'Ho, ho,' say I again to myself, 'dis piece is also load'--What was to be do?--de Serjeant notice dis one--'dat firelock is load, you scoundril.'--'No,' say Mundingo Tom, 'but I leave some tow in him, beg pardon, massa serjeant.'--'You dem rascail,' say de serjeant, 'you never is better, you lazy dog---fall out, sir, and draw de'----'Attention,' call out de agitant at dis moment; 'de left wheel into line--marsh'--tramp, tramp, tramp, whir--de line is form. 'Stand at ease--A Serjeant from each company for blank cartridges.' So away step de serjeant, who had given Mundingo Tom a rating, and I take de opportunity of whisper Jack--'I say, Jack, what is in de wind? I have great mind to peach my sospicion.' He say nosing; and den I say, 'Poo, all my fear must be nonsense--all must be a dream'--de serjeant