“Ach, Himmel, this monotony is deadly. Nichts komme raus; or, in other words, there’s nothing doing in war circles.”

“While we’re waiting, let’s heave a few twelve-pounders over in that Venezuelan fort. Let’s wake ’em up a little.”

“By the way, gunner, see if you can shoot the mizzen-mast off of that mule over yonder.”

But at that moment the Venezuelans woke up, and the SchÜtzenfest was all over.