“Sit, you swine,” said his partner, “and be quiet. You tire me. What are you riling the gentleman for, just when we were getting so nice and friendly with him?”
“You—lemme alone.”
“I’ll smash your ugly little face in if you don’t keep it shut.”
The one-eyed man tried to retort, but his infirmity gagged him, and a spasm of wild fury bit into all his muscles.
His friend wagged a derisive finger. “There’s an image for you, cap. Look at the creature, froze like a Chinese potdog; look at him and don’t laugh. And, say, just reach me another bottle of wine, it will be so good. Thanks, siree. I wouldn’t care if I died drinking this. Here’s our blessed health. Good old cap; you stick to me and I’ll stick to you; and if Mr. Billy Nutt can’t swallow his tantrums and join us two gentlemen like another gentleman, by Jemima, we’ll give him what he’s got for his share, and set him adrift in an empty bottle. You hear me, Billy Nutt?”
“You spup-luttering fool. You boosey, drunken puttyhead.”
“I’m not drunk,” retorted Hank, “but I’m merry. Have a sup yourself, and then perhaps you’ll be better company.” With which advice a liberal heeltap of champagne splashed in Nutt’s face.
The man sprang to his feet, glowering like a fiend. What followed was completed before a watch could tick twice. For once the gift of speech did not desert him. The fatal words bounced glibly off his tongue, and Hank’s vengeful hands shot out. In an instant the pair were grappling together, and a gouging thumb did its horrid work. Then, tearing himself away, eyeless, the lesser man ran screaming blindly into the sideboard at the other side of the cabin. His friend pitched stiffly forward, and fell face downward amongst the dishes, lying there without so much as a quiver. He was stone dead. With the black-handled knife that had carved their baking of pork, Nutt had stabbed him from the shoulder down through his heart.
“That saves my cartridges,” said Captain Kettle, and took his cocked revolver from where it lodged between his knee and the under side of the table.