sure enough he kept his word, or all but--suiting the action to it
at any rate.

"And so we gathered up our clothes, and went back in our separate
coaches, and no blood spilt.

"'And is it thrue now,' said Mr. Macshane, when we were alone--'is
it thrue now, all these divvles have been saying?' 'Ensign,' says
I, 'you're a man of the world?'

"''Deed and I am, and insign these twenty-two years.'

"'Perhaps you'd like a few pieces?' says I.

"'Faith and I should; for to tell you the secred thrut, I've not
tasted mate these four days.'

"'Well then, Ensign, it IS true,' says I; 'and as for meat, you
shall have some at the first cook-shop.' I bade the coach stop
until he bought a plateful, which he ate in the carriage, for my
time was precious. I just told him the whole story: at which he
laughed, and swore that it was the best piece of GENERALSHIP he ever
heard on. When his belly was full, I took out a couple of guineas
and gave them to him. Mr. Macshane began to cry at this, and kissed
me, and swore he never would desert me: as, indeed, my dear, I
don't think he will; for we have been the best of friends ever
since, and he's the only man I ever could trust, I think.

"I don't know what put it into my head, but I had a scent of some
mischief in the wind; so stopped the coach a little before I got