"He swings round all black and white and lightning.
"'Money!' he snarls. 'Steady, Reube.'
"'What then?' says I.
"'Ah,' says he, drawing his breath like a cat swearin. 'As I just told you, I'm a Christian; and I don't forget.'
"Talk o bitter!
"'Well,' I says, 'if it's revenge you're a'ter, sims to me you've had a belly-ful.'
"'Ah, I ain't begun yet,' says he, breathing slow. 'That's my little private account. There's the system to settle yet.'
"'What!' says I, coming closer. 'So you're going to fix up the British
Navy next?'
"'Goin to try,' says he, rollin out that tarrible great laugh of his—'God helpin me.'
"That was a bit too much.