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The Gun Club
"Well?"
"Well,theremightbesomefieldforenterprisedownthere;andiftheywouldacceptourservices——"
"Whatareyoudreamingof?"screamedBilsby;"workatgunneryforthebenefitofforeigners?"
"Thatwouldbebetterthandoingnothinghere,"returnedthecolonel.
"Quiteso,"saidJ.T.Matson;"butstillweneednotdreamofthatexpedient."
"Andwhynot?"demandedthecolonel.
"BecausetheirideasofprogressintheOldWorldarecontrarytoourAmericanhabitsofthought.Thosefellowsbelievethatonecan’tbecomeageneralwithouthavingservedfirstasanensign;whichisasmuchastosaythatonecan’tpointagunwithouthavingfirstcastitoneself!"
"Ridiculous!"repliedTomHunter,whittlingwithhisbowie-knifethearmsofhiseasychair;"butifthatbethecasethere,allthatisleftforusistoplanttobaccoanddistillwhale-oil."
"What!"roaredJ.T.Maston,"shallwenotemploytheseremainingyearsofourlifeinperfectingfirearms?Shallthereneverbeafreshopportunityoftryingtherangesofprojectiles?Shalltheairneveragainbelightedwiththeglareofourguns?Nointernationaldifficultyeverarisetoenableustodeclarewaragainstsometransatlanticpower?ShallnottheFrenchsinkoneofoursteamers,ortheEnglish,indefianceoftherightsofnations,hangafewofourcountrymen?"
"Nosuchluck,"repliedColonelBlomsberry;"nothingofthekindislikelytohappen;andevenifitdid,weshouldnotprofitbyit.
