At Thurstane's reprimand he trotted close up to him with exactly the air of a circus Jocko who expects a whipping, but who hopes to escape it by grinning.
"Why haven't you fired ?" repeated his commander.
"Liftinint, I dasn't," answered Sweeny, in the rapid, jerking, almost inarticulate jabber which was his usual speech.
Now it is not an uncommon thing for recruits to dread to discharge their arms in battle.

They have a vague idea that, if they bang away, they will attract the notice of some antagonist who will immediately single them out for retaliation.
"Are you afraid anybody will hit you ?" asked Thurstane.
"No, I ain't, Liftinint," jabbered Sweeny.

"I ain't afeard av them niggers a bit.

They may shoot their bow arrays at me all day if they want to.

I'm afeard of me gun, Liftinint.