Having satisfied himself that to burnish further its glittering buttons would be to gild refined gold, he commenced a vigorous brushing--for it was now his high ambition to "get the stick"-- in other words to be dismissed from guard-duty as reward for being the best-turned-out man on parade....

As he reached up to his shelf for his gauntlets and pipe-clay box, Trooper Phelim O'Shaughnessy swaggered over with much jingle of spur and playfully smote him, netherly, with his cutting whip.
"What-ho, me bhoy," he roared, "and how's me natty Matty--the natest foightin' man in E Troop, which is sayin' in all the Dhraghoons, which is sayin' in all the Arrmy! How's Matty ?" "Extant," replied Dam.

"How's Shocky, the biggest liar in the same ?" As he extended his hand it was noticeable that it was much smaller than the hand of the smaller man to whom it was offered.

"Ye'll have to plug and desthroy the schamin' divvle that strook poor Patsy Flannigan, Matty," said the Irishman.

"Ye must bate the sowl out of the baste before we go to furrin' parts.