They looked up from the replenished but as yet untasted measures. His manner became suddenly stern. “P’raps you think I haven’t ... money ... pay for all this swill?” An awful dread assailed them both. He seemed to read it in their glances. “Why, you rogues, d’ye dare ... doubt ... gen’l’man? D’ye think gen’l’man calls for wine, and can’t pay? Here’s to put your lousy minds at rest.” Violently he pulled a hand from his pocket, and violently he flung it forward under their noses, opening it as he did so. Gold leapt from it, a half-dozen pieces that rolled and rang upon greasy table and greasier floor. In a flash, instinctively, the pair dived after them, and grovelled there on hands and knees about the table’s legs, hunting the scattered coins. When at length they came up again, each obsequiously placed two pieces before the Colonel. “Your honour should be more careful handling gold,” said Jake. “Ye might ha’ lost a piece or two,” added Nat. “In some companies I might,” said the Colonel, looking very wise. “But I know hones’ fellows; I know how to choose my friends. Trust a cap’n o’ fortune for that.” He picked up the coins with clumsy, blundering fingers. “I thank you,” he said, and restored them to his pocket. Jake winked at Nat, and Nat hid his face in his tankard lest the grin which he could not suppress should be perceived by the Colonel. The pair were spending a very pleasant and profitable evening with this stray and thirsty rodomont. They drank noisily. And noisily and repeatedly Jake smacked his lips thereafter, frowning a little as he savoured the draught. “I don’t think it’s as good as the last,” he complained. The Colonel picked up his own tankard with solicitude and took a pull at it. “I have drunk better,” he boasted. “But ’sgood enough, and just the same as last. Just the same.” “May be my fancy,” said Jake, at which his companion nodded. Then the Colonel fell to talking volubly, boastfully. The landlady, who began to mislike their looks, drew near. The Colonel beckoned her nearer still, and thrust a piece of gold into her hand. “Let that pay the reckoning,” said he, very magnificent. She gaped at such prodigality, dropped him a curtsy, and withdrew again at once, reflecting that appearances can be very deceptive. The Colonel resumed his talk. Whether from the soporific dreariness of this or from the potency of the libations, Jake’s eyelids were growing so heavy that he appeared to have a difficulty in keeping them from closing, whilst Nat was hardly in better case. Presently, surrendering to the luxurious torpor that pervaded him, Jake folded his arms upon the table, and laid his sleepy head upon them. At this, his fellow took alarm, and leaned across in an attempt to rouse him. “Hi! Jake! We gotter carry ... ladyship home.” “Dammer ladyship,” grunted Jake in the very act of falling asleep. With dazed eyes Nat looked helplessly at the Colonel and shaped his lips to utterance by a visible effort.