“Mates wasn’t mentioned,” says Catty. “I was told to tell this message to Mr. Dunn, and to nobody else. And that’s what I’m a-goin’ to do. Yes, sir. And I’m goin’ to be paid my dollar—right on the spot—cash money.”
It was bad enough as it was, but then another man in a uniform came along, and he scowled and stopped. It was everybody’s day to scowl, I guess.
“What’s this?” says he.
“Boys. They say they came with a message, Cap’n.”
“For who?”
“Mr. Dunn.”
“How’d they get past the guard?”
“It beats me. They claim they jest walked in.”
The captain waggled his head, and then he reached for us and grabbed each of us by the arm.
“Message, eh? Well, you come right along and deliver it. We’ll find out about that message, and if there’s any funny work, why, you’ll wish you never heard of any message.”