The driver nodded.

The other, pleased with the success of his mental effort, continued:
"Uh-huh--an' I was havin' a peaceful dhrink wid thim all whin
somewan made impedent remarks touchin' me appearance, or ancestors,
I disremimber which. But where was you?"

"Well, you see," explained the driver in his slow way, "hit was like
this. That there saloon were plumb full of sailor-men all exceptin'
you an' me. I was a heap admirin' of the way you handled that big
hombre what opened the meetin' and also his two pardners, who aimed
to back his play. Hit was sure pretty work. The rest of the crowd
sort o' bunched in one end of the room an' when you began addressin'
the congregation, so to speak, on the habits, character, customs and
breedin' of sailor-men in general an' the present company in
particular, I see right there that you was a-bitin' off more 'n you
could chaw. It wasn't no way reasonable that any human could handle
that whole outfit with only just his bare hands, so I edged over
your way, plumb edified by your remarks, and when the rush for the
mourners' bench come I unlimbered an' headed the stampede pronto.
Then I made my little proposition. I told 'em that, bein' the only
individual on the premises not a sailor-man nor an Irishman, I felt
it my duty to referee the obsequies, so to speak, and that odds of
twenty to one, not to mention knives, was strictly agin my
convictions. Moreover, bein' the sole an' only uninterested
audience, I had rights. Then I offers to bet my pile, even money,
that you could handle the whole bunch, takin' 'em two at a throw. I
knowed it were some odds, but I noticed that them three what opened
the meetin' was still under the influence. Also I undertook to see