"Jonathan you'd better fust tell me jest what you have done a'ready." I sot to as well as I could and told him the hull story about Miss Sneers, the theatre, playing cards, the bird supper, and the cider. When I'd got through he shook his head sort of mournful, and sez he—
"Jonathan, this is a bad business; you've made a shote of yourself and gambled all your father's money away; it's eenamost as bad as stealen."
"Oh don't say that are," sez I, a kiverin my face with both hands. "I feel bad enough without bein twitted of what I've done, gracious knows?"
"Wal, I know it aint generous tu strike a feller when he's down," sez the captin, "but what is to be done? That's the question."
"Wal," sez the Captin, "supposin you put on your things and we'll go up to that consarned gamblin hole and see if any thing can be done to git the money back. I hain't no doubt but that Miss Sneers will be tickled tu death tu see you agin."
I got up and dressed myself as well as I could for my head ached as if it would crack open. The Captin he was as good as any thing; he poured a hull pitcher full of cold water over my hair, and arter making me drink a strong cup of tea, I felt kinder better about the head, but oh Lord a massy, how my heart ached!
I felt so down in the mouth that I couldn't talk, so we both started off towards that consarned house agin.
"Now Jonathan," sez the Captin, as we got agin the steps, "it goes agin the grain tu say so, but you jest make believe that I am a police officer, and keep a stiff upper lip, ring the bell and walk right in; I'll come arter and we'll du their bisness for em in less than no time."
I rung the bell.
"Is Miss Sneers tu hum?" sez I.