Part 26 (1/2)

”'Here's an odd half-sovereign I've got no use for, Marco.'

”'Gracias!' muttered Marco, slipping the coin into his waistcoat pocket.

”'Now, Marco,' continued Brackenbury, 'you're a kind-hearted sort of a chap, I know.'

”'_Si, senor, hombre de chapa_.' [man of sense.]

”'Yes; well, have you heard anything about us? No preparations to hang us, or anything of that sort, is there, Marco?'

”Marco came in again, and quietly closed the door. Then he listened a moment.

”'See, geentlemans,' he said, 'I veel not tell a false-dad. You veel _die_--perhaps. Perhaps you veel not.'

”'Well,' grunted O'Brady, 'we could have guessed as much. Thank you for nothing. Give him another yellow boy, Brackenbury, I'll pay you some day--perhaps.'

”The additional coin made Marco smile.

”'Now,' he said, 'I tell you _all_ de trut'. De trut' is dis: you veel not die for two tree week. Suppose your people pay plenty _libertad_ monies for you, den you not die at all. Suppose dey not veel pay de plenty mooch _libertad_ monies, and suppose, instead, de coome and fight here, den you die ver' quick indeed.'

”'Thank you, thank you!' cried O'Brady. 'Give him one more yellow boy, Brackenbury.'

”'Dash my b.u.t.tons, sir,' said Brackenbury, 'how free you can make with other people's cash, O'Brady!'

”Marco retired, smiling sweetly on his third yellow boy, and the two officers began to think of getting up.

”'Ahem!' said Brackenbury.

”'What?' said O'Brady.

”'I'm a little shy,' said Brackenbury, 'in dressing in the same apartment with any one else. Ahem! did you ever know, O'Brady, that I wore a wig?'

”'No,' grunted O'Brady. ''Pon my soul, you're as shy as a girl, Brackenbury. I ain't shy. Now look here, did it ever strike you that I had a gla.s.s eye?'

”'Well, no--ahem!--I've noticed, though, that you squinted a bit. Fact is, to put it straight, I've observed you looking very steadily at the main-truck with one eye, and apparently looking at the compa.s.s with the other. Ha! ha! ha!'

”'Well, what does it matter?' said O'Brady. 'I'm going on for sixty years of age, man.'

”'And I,' said Brackenbury, 'am precious near fifty--'

”'Just on the other side o' the hedge, eh? Ha! ha! You gay young dog.

Look here!' he continued, 'perhaps you wouldn't believe it, but I have a cork leg!'

”'Well,' cried Brackenbury, springing out of bed and preparing to shave, 'I'm glad we've both made a clean breast of it.'

”They both laughed hearty now; fact is, they felt lighter in spirits since Marco told them there was no immediate cause for apprehension.

”And Brackenbury pulled out his false teeth, and O'Brady pulled out his, and Brackenbury threw his wig on the top of his bed, and appeared in all the beauty of his baldness, while O'Brady laid his gla.s.s eye on the table, and brandished his cork leg by way of showing the captain what he could do with it.

”Silly old fogies, weren't they? But by the time the gong went roaring and clanging through the halls they were both dressed and waiting for Marco.