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could perceive himself as a very wee thing. And the youth saw that ever after it would be easier to live in his friend's neighborhood. His comrade balanced his ebony coffee-cup on his knee. "Well, Henry," he said, "what d'yeh think th' chances are? D'yeh think we'll wal- lop 'em?" The youth considered for a moment. "Day- b'fore-yesterday," he finally replied, with boldness, "you would 'a' bet you'd lick the hull kit-an'- boodle all by yourself." His friend looked a trifle amazed. "Would I?" he asked. He pondered. "Well, perhaps I would," he decided at last. He stared humbly at the fire. The youth was quite disconcerted at this sur- prising reception of his remarks. "Oh, no, you wouldn't either," he said, hastily trying to re- trace. But the other made a deprecating gesture. "Oh, yeh needn't mind, Henry," he said. "I be- lieve I was a pretty big fool in those days." He spoke as after a lapse of years. There was a little pause. "All th' officers say we've got th' rebs in a pretty tight box," said the friend, clearing his throat in a commonplace way. "They all seem t' think we've got 'em jest where we want 'em." "I don't know about that," the youth replied. "What I seen over on th' right makes me think it was th' other way about. From where I was, it looked as if we was gettin' a good poundin' yestirday." "D'yeh think so?" inquired the friend. "I thought we handled 'em pretty rough yestir- |