The Pride of Palomar

Book Excerpt: ...cks and the ground is not too hard, that there will be no guards to interfere, and if any man with the right to call himself 'Mister' desires to air his grievance, he can make his engagement now, and I shall be at his service at the hour stipulated. Does anybody make me an offer?" He stood there, balanced nicely on the balls of his feet, cool, alert, glancing interestedly up and down the battery front. "What?" he bantered, "nobody bids? Well, I'm glad of that. I part friends with everybody. Call rolls!"The section-chiefs called the rolls of their sections and reported them present. Farrel stepped to the door of the orderly-room."The men are waiting for the captain," he reported."Sergeant Farrel," that bedeviled individual replied frantically, "I can't do it. You'll have to do it for me.""Yes, sir; I understand."Farrel returned to the battery, brought them to attention, and said: "The skipper wants to say good-by, men, but he isn't up to the job. He's afraid to tackle it; so he...