At once the head waiter appeared bearing a huge punch-bowl laden with a concoction,—the pride of the host. Besides slices of tropical fruits and a foundation of rare old Burgundy, it was made smooth with sugar and Jamaica rum. Then by way of a backbone to “stiffen” it a little, James had put in a good portion of Cognac.
General Arnold had already drunk with everybody whom he could induce; he was just beginning to feel his importance when the “jolly mariner” arrived, and glasses were filled; then Arnold gave vent to the toast nearest his heart. He arose and proposed,
“Here’s success to privateering.”
Standing, everybody drank deeply to this sentiment, for the host was enriching himself on it, and Arnold hoped to support his extravagance by it. The punch was so smooth that even the old heads desired another bumper.
Old Thomas Milling, the head of the host’s trading-firm, was now beginning to feel rather mellow and when he reflected that privateering smacked of the gay sea-rover he sang a couple of stanzas of the old ballad:
“My name was Captain Kidd,
“When I sail’d, when I sail’d,
“My name was Captain Kidd,
“When I sail’d, when I sail’d,
“I roamed from sound to sound