"I feel very dry," said the one who had now commenced to eat the herrings. "Divil doubt you, an' so you ought to feel dhry, you murtherin cannibal, for there you sit ating two as fine fellows of your own spacies as ever tuk a bath in the salt say," said an old looking soldier. "Jerry," said the "orderly," "have you any money?" "Niver a farden," said Jerry--the man who had jokingly called him a "cannibal." "I've got some," said I, displaying one shilling and fivepence--all I had left. "Bravo, youngster," said the orderly, "will you pay for a quart of ale?" "Yes, for two quarts if you like," said I. "Might as well have a gallon while we are about it, that'll jist be a pint apiece," said a big lump of a fellow rising from one of the beds, where he had been lying and smoking a dirty short pipe without speaking a word until now. "Mind your own business, you moon-snuffing omedhaun, and let the lad do as he plases," said the Irishman. "I've only this one shilling and fivepence in copper, or I would pay for two or three gallons of beer," said I. "Do you live in Sheffield?" inquired the orderly. "I came here from W--, to enlist, but they say I'm not tall enough," said I. "And what are you going to do next?" "'List in another regiment," said I. "S'pose you don't pass the doctor, what shall you do then?" I had never thought of that, and therefore could only say I didn't know. I now began to see the extent of my folly in leaving home in such a pitiable plight, without money or friends. If I did not enlist and _pass the doctor_, only fivepence would stand between me and absolute starvation. The orderly no doubt perceived my embarrassment. "I'll not hev any ale to-night. Hand me that pitcher of water there beside you," said he. "Faix an' you must be a foolish young gossoon to lave home widout money. You'll be in a purty fix if you don't pass the doctor widout aither money or frinds, an' thirty miles from home." My spirits were lowering fast. But, after all, I could _walk_ home again; my seventeen pence would be enough to prevent me from starving by the way. Therefore, though I was not a little vexed and humiliated that the soldiers would not accept my treat, I was glad when I considered that the expenditure of my money would have reduced me to beggary, and I soon after retired to my bed of "long feathers" as the Irishman designated it. So long as the soldiers were up and moving about the room I never thought of home, but after the last trumpet had sounded, a little after nine o'clock, and the men were all in their beds, I began to think of my mother, brothers, and sisters, one of the latter being particularly attached to me, and I wished in my heart that I had returned to W--with Harry and Ned. Being very tired, however, I soon fell asleep, and did not awake until the morning. CHAPTER FOUR.