HEZEKIAH. Jess you say. It’s your fewneral! (_To Brightly._) Now you travil, or I’ll let daylight through them rotten ribs er yourn so quick, you’ll think your struck with all the litenin’ the Lord’s got the use on. Git! (_Exit Brightly L. Turns at entrance to give H. and S. a look of contempt._) SHERMAN. If he escapes my bullet this time, it will be from the intervention of heaven! (_Enter Orderly, front, and salutes._) ORDERLY. Gen. Howard orders me to report that Hood has withdrawn behind the river. SHERMAN. Our opportunity is lost! There are other spies in the camp! Tell Howard to move to the bank of the river, and await orders. (_To Halcom._) Cross a heavy reconnoisance at Herrick’s ford, and report as soon as possible. (_Halcom salutes and retires R. Sherman L. U. E. Enter Barney R. U. E. passing along._) BARNEY. Bad luck to this haythen country. I’m killed from every stone and stump in it. I don’t like rebellyions! If yer killed with nobody to get a pension for it, where’s the luck in it? (_Enter Hez. behind, cautiously._) HEZEKIAH. (_In a stentorian voice._) Move, and I kill you! (_Barney motionless._) Drop that gun! (_Drops it._) Hands up! (_Holds up hands._) Right about! (_As Barney turns, Hez. breaks down in loud laughter._) BARNEY. Don’t you do that again; I might kill you sometime. HEZEKIAH. Scartest man I ever looked at! BARNEY. No sir— HEZEKIAH. I see the bristles risin’ up the whole length er your back! BARNEY. No sir. I was playin’ wid yer. HEZEKIAH. Say, Barney, wasn’t ye scart? BARNEY. I might be narvous a little. HEZEKIAH. (_Pulling bottle._) S’pose we have a little nerve powder. (_Hands bottle to Barney._) BARNEY. I was always a friend to that! Here’s to George Washington and Danny O’Connell. The two boys ye can’t make afraid or ashamed of the country that giv em their first pertaties. (_Drinks, and hands bottle to Hez._) HEZEKIAH. Here’s tew Pardunk and the gal that’s waitin’ for me, and a chain litenin’ diet to the darn sneakin’ skunk of a rebel that would spit on the bird that’s goin’ to roost with impewnity all over North and South Ameriky. (_Drinks; Barney looks about cautiously. Set guns against tree, R. U. E._) BARNEY. I would like it if there was no corporals. HEZEKIAH. How much guard-house do ye s’pose you’ve had Barney, since we left Pardunk? BARNEY. I should guess fifteen months. And thim blackguards are the spalpeens that bother me like that. HEZEKIAH. What did ye come out here for, Barney? BARNEY. For a pinsion! HEZEKIAH. Gittin’ rich, wasn’t ye? BARNEY. To be sure I was. Wasn’t I ingaged to Biddy Maloney? Didn’t she have a peanut store on the sidewalk and a suit of rooms in Tim Sullivan’s cellar? Didn’t she fail four times in one summer and pay ten cints? Ah’r, the smart girl she is! With a gal like that, what is the need er workin’? HEZEKIAH. Say, Barney, how would you like to be a Jigadier Brindle? BARNEY. What, one er them fellers with brass things on ’em? HEZEKIAH. Yes.