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126 Nickerson tried to interrupt him, but the lieutenant-colonel would not allow it. Carl's story was corroborated by several others besides the corporal who had first spoken up.

"It seems you are to blame," said the lieutenant-colonel, after listening to Nickerson's lame recital. "In the future I think you had better leave our soldiers alone. And now I want this crowd to disperse," he concluded, with a wave of his hand.

The soldiers sauntered off, alone and in pairs; and Carl went with them. Nickerson said nothing more, but his black looks bode the German regular no good.

"He'll down ye if he can," said Dan Casey to Carl, on hearing of the affair. "Ye want to be afther watchin' him as a hen turkey watches a hawk."

"I vos keep mine eye skvare on him," answered Carl.

But this was hardly necessary, at least for the next few days; for, as the storm increased, both Nickerson and Nuggy Polk became violently seasick, and had to keep to their state-room, both moaning and groaning in a fashion that was truly pitiable. Nickerson laid his sickness to the violent handling