252
MANY INVENTIONS
them, Ortheris watched the Government Advocate driving off to lunch.
'That's a nasty little bald-'eaded little butcher, that is, he said. E don't please me. 'E's got a colley dog wot do, though. I'm goin' up to Murree in a week. That dawg'll bring fifteen rupees anywheres.'
'You had better spend ut in Masses,' said Terence, unbuckling his belt; for he had been on the prisoner's guard, standing helmeted and bolt upright for three long hours.
'Not me,' said Ortheris cheerfully. 'Gawd'll put it down to 2 Comp'ny's barrick-damages one o' these days. You look strapped, Terence.'
'Faith, I'm not so young as I was. That guardmountin' wears on the sole av the fut, and this '—he sniffed contemptuously at the brick verandah—'is as hard setting as standin'!'
'Wait a minute. I'll get the cushions out of my cart,' I said.
Strewth—sofies, We're going it gay,' said Ortheris, as Terence dropped himself section by section on the leather cushions, saying prettily, 'May ye niver want a soft place wheriver you go, an' power to share ut wid a frind. Another for yourself? That's good. It lets me sit longways. Stanley, pass me a pipe. Augrrh! An' that's another man gone all to pieces bekaze ay a woman. I must ha' been on forty or fifty prisoners' gyards, first an' last; an' I hate ut new ivry time,'
'Let's see. You were on Losson's, Lancey's, Dugard's, and Stebbins's, that I can remember,' I said.
'Ay, an' before that an' before that—scores av thim,' he answered with a worn smile, '"Tis better to