In the kitchen, Mr. Maguffin considered himself, next to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the representative of the family, as the deputy of Timotheus and the servant of the colonel.  Ben Toner was his ally in war, but had no local standing, and the pensioner was simply an intruder.  Yet, with cool effrontery, the corporal sat in the place of honour beside Tryphena, and regaled her with narratives of warfare, to which she had listened many times already.  Ben and Serlizer were still full of one another’s society.  He had comforted her heart, if it needed any comforting, over the condition of her father, whom he and Timotheus had treated so cavalierly, and urged her not to go home any more, but to come and help the old woman.  With a bad example before her at home, and very far from improving ones at the Select Encampment, Serlizer was yet, though not too cultivated, an honest steady girl, and was pleased to learn that Ben had really turned over a new leaf.  She gave her sweetheart to understand that she had kept her own money, not being such a fool as to let the old man get his hands on it, and that it was safe in the bundle she had brought from the boarding-house, whereupon Ben said she had better put that bundle away in a safe place, for you couldn’t tell what kind of characters might be about.  Mr. Maguffin heard these words, and, taking them to himself, waxed indignant.

“Ef yoh’se diloodin’ ter this pressum comperny, Mistah Tonah, I wants ter say I takes the sponsability ob these young ladies on my shouldahs, sah, the shouldahs ob Mortimah Magrudah Maguffin, sah.  Foh what remains ober ob the mascline paht ob it, I ain’t no call foh ter spress mysef.  It kin speak foh itsef.”

The corporal glowered, and smote the table with his fist.

“Pardon my indignation, Miss Hill!  This creature, with no military or other standing that I know of, calls me, a retired non-commissioned officer of the British army, it.  In India, where I served, I called such things chakar and banda, the very dust beneath my feet, Miss Tryphena; and it was as much as their life was worth to call me less than sahib.  And, now that I have retired on a pension, with my medals and clasps, and am an officer of the law, a black man, a kali, presumes to it me.  I have known a kali chakar killed, yes killed, for less.  ‘Corporal,’ said the commanding officer to me, ’Corporal Rigby,’ said he, many a time, ’order one of your men to call up that black dog of mine!’ I assure you he did, Miss Hill.”

“I doan’ take no erbuse ner nigger talk in this yere house, where I’m takin’ Timothis’ place, an’ where my bawss is mighty high ercount, no, not fom consterbles nor no nuther white tresh.  I didn’t go foh ter call Mistah Rigby it, Miss Tryphosy, I swan ter grashus I didn’t.  I spressed the pinion as all the comperny as isn’t ladies is it and so it is it.”

“Ef you go a ittin’ of me Maguffin,” struck in Ben, “I’m buzz sawed and shingled of I don’t hit you back fer what you’re ma guvin us.”  Then he opened up his mouth and laughed, and Serlizer laughed, and the Hill girls.  Even Maguffin displayed his ivories, and remarked:  “Mistah Tonah, foh a gennelman what ain’t trabbled none, yoh’se mighty smaht.”