enough not to buy two cleaning kits when one is all that is needed.” Of course the Sutler did not understand Tom & I was glad of it.
Still smiling I said, “No Sir we are not clever at all just poor soldier Bills like all the rest.”
Well there was not much the robbing Sutler could say to that so says he, “Move your stinking Mick skins out of my stores before I call the Provost Marshals in & have you up in irons.”
Now Tom & myself having some experience with the Provost Marshal’s men in the war did take our 1 kit each & left Kinney’s Stores knowing well we had not heard the last word on it.
Sure enough it did not be 10 minutes later the 2 of us standing with some fellows smoking & waiting for the others in the Stores to finish up when that New York Cavan b_____ of a 1st Sgt. roared to me from across the parade ground. “You Private! Stand to boy & Quick Time! And bring that ugly f_____ with you.”
Well we quick timed it over to him & I took a look at Tom for to judge how rough were his eyes because Tom does not care for being called ugly & more than a few fellows have paid dues for it in the past. But I knew what was coming from the Sgt. & so did Tom & his face Thank God had the cast of only squally weather & not a storm like it could take on when the climate was right for it.
Says I sweet as sugared rum, “Yes Sergeant?”
Well let me tell you that fellow did loom as much as stand over you a bigger man than even Tom & not afraid at all of the likes of my brother or of his face or the grim things brewing in his eyes. For like Tom 1st Sgt. Nevin had that shard of madness lodged in the back of his own eyes too though it did be tempered (we learnt later) by the good humour & kindness that makes for a fine leader of fighting men. Of course along side the madness there was a sharp mind too. He was in cahoots with the Sutler after all. (Sure for such reward who would not be?)
Says I to myself, “Tread lightly around this b_____. There are no flies on him.”
“1 cleaning kit is all you smart boys reckon you will be needing is it?” says the Sgt. a glop of tobacco juice spat onto my boots as if to mark his words like shit from a gull bearing bad luck instead of good. He did not bother staring me down but held his eyes to Tom’s & Tom being Tom held the Sgt.’s & did not look away.
I will tell you I was afraid then though I had no regret in not buying a 2nd kit & have no regrets now & never will for any soldier with a day’s dust from the road on him can spot fixed Faro & has the right not to fall for a ruse once he has rumbled it. But I was afraid more for what might happen if that Sgt. did turn Tom the wrong way in his head.
I weighed my words with some care while the big men eyeballed each other like 2 bulls in a pen with 1 heifer. I weighed also the music of my words as I spoke them the very tone & pitch of them.
Says I, “We reckon 1 kit each will do us fine Sergeant.” I held up the leather cleaning bag. “1 each mind you making it 2 bought between us which will be more than enough we reckon. Or can you tell us why we might be needing 2 each?”
The big man turned to me now & he smiled in an innocent way that was as far from innocent as dear Ireland is from Kingdom Come & I did think, “Oh no good will come of this for the sake of a dollar saved.” I gave a smile back to him with no challenge in it. The 1st Sgt. stared me out & I could see he was reckoning if the price of 2 kits was worth troubling the like of us for. 2 cleaning kits my arse! A master of arithmetic could only reckon what that Sgt.’s cut off the Sutler was for 200 cleaning kits sold to 100 men needing only 1.