"And, like an infernal thieving Yankee, you went into the fort and stole
the guns!" exclaimed Captain Rowly, beginning to boil with rage as he
thought of his misfortune.
"Well, it did not occur to me that I ought to have waked you and told
you what I was about before taking the guns."
"It was a nasty Yankee trick!" roared the soldier.
"I suppose it was, captain; but we Yankees cannot very well help what
was born in our blood; and I have heard that some of your honest and
high-toned people have made bigger steals than this one. While I have
carried off only four twelve-pounders, your folks have taken entire
forts, including scores of guns of all calibres," replied Christy,
amused at the view the fat gentleman took of his operations.
"Our people took nothing that did not belong to them, for the forts were
within our territory," retorted the soldier.
[Illustration: Captain Rowly protests.]
"That was just my case. I have the honor to be an officer of the United
States Navy, and as these guns happened to be within the territory of
our government, of course it was all right that I should take them.
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