"I wonder if you'll excuse me,' says he. 'I'm due to dine with little Boney tonight at eight sharp, and I must be up to time. Truth is I'm not in the Little Corporal's best books just now. He caught Josephine and me amusing ourselves in the rose-walk at Malmaison last week; and he wasn't best pleased.'
"And he took off his hat in his theatrical Frenchified way and went down to the boat.
"I sat on the rock, brushing my knees.
"Diamond shoved her off.
"'Good-day, Parson,' says he, grinning.
"'So this is your smuggling, Diamond!' I roared, shaking my fist at him.
"'Yes,' says he, 'I'm about as good a smuggler as you are Parson.'
"That made me mad.
"'I'm an Englishman anyway and not a blanky traitor!' I roared. 'Here's something to remember me by!' and I snatched the pistol out o my tail-pocket, and snapped it at him.
"The ball went through the full of his shirt.