“To be honest with you,” spoke the general, addressing Mr. Stretcher, “I am come here in the hope of getting a reward for my services, which is no uncommon thing; and as I take it there are many worse men than me serving the country, I flatter myself I stand a fair chance, seeing that my expectations are neither extravagant nor unwise.  I am also of opinion that a man should think more of his country and less of his pocket; and to that end it will content me to be sent a commissioner to the King of the Kaloramas, though it would be natural enough not to refuse the mission to the Tuilleries.  As for the secretaries, I have paid my respects to the whole batch; and though they are willing enough to say good things of me, and to extol my political achievements, they say pleasantly enough that the commonwealth could not do without me, and, therefore, that I must stay quietly at home.  In short, they tell me that only such talent as is worthless at home can be spared to go abroad.  The president I found a most excellent gentleman, ready to gratify my wishes, and to give me at least six of the seven missions in his gift.  In truth, I found him a person ready to please in various ways, and take it that he has a liking for adorers, such as have little scruple in lavishing praise upon his well regulated government, the solidity of which, it is well enough to say, he has raised a pitch higher than any of his predecessors.”

“You have it, exactly!” interrupted Mr. Stretcher.  “He is possessed of wonderful faith; and if you want a favor of him you have only to ply him with such toys and trinkets as you have named to secure it.  If, however, (and I take what you say for truth,) you are patient enough to be content with a commissionship to the King of the Kaloramas, there will be no more trouble about the matter than the making of a bird cage.”

“Ah, sir! but how am I to reward you for your services? for a man is not expected to be a philanthropist in these matters, and my wife Polly Potter always said it was cheaper that a man pays for what he gets,” returned the general.  The adept charged the general to give himself no concern about that little matter, but merely to set it down for an after consideration.  And to this they both agreed, and emptied their punches in the full belief that they were all-bountiful in the power of constructing commonwealths and managing governments.  “Faith, it is just come to my mind that the president good-naturedly advised me to forthwith transmit my application in writing to the State Department,” spoke the general, as if just waking to a sense of his obligations.  To this Stretcher said nothing was more essential, and as much depended on the style and wording of the application (at which he had experienced enough), he enjoined the general to delay this matter until the following morning, when he would arrange it to his liking.  Mr. Stretcher then took his leave, consoling himself that he had got a fleece of great value.  And now as the limits of my chapter are exhausted, I must beg the reader to turn to the next for what took place on the following morning.