‘And the popular instructed—what do they do?’ asked Martin.
‘Buy ‘em:’ said the colonel.
Mr Jefferson Brick expectorated and laughed; the former copiously, the latter approvingly.
‘Buy ‘em by hundreds of thousands,’ resumed the colonel. ‘We are a smart people here, and can appreciate smartness.’
‘Is smartness American for forgery?’ asked Martin.
‘Well!’ said the colonel, ‘I expect it’s American for a good many things that you call by other names. But you can’t help yourself in Europe. We can.’
‘And do, sometimes,’ thought Martin. ‘You help yourselves with very little ceremony, too!’
‘At all events, whatever name we choose to employ,’ said the colonel, stooping down to roll the third empty bottle into a corner after the other two, ‘I suppose the art of forgery was not invented here sir?’
‘I suppose not,’ replied Martin.
‘Nor any other kind of smartness I reckon?’