“I’m lookin’ for him every minute,” said Sam, imperturbably.
Long Mike turned and look at him with a scowl.
“Ye said that before,” he exclaimed.
“I was lookin’ for him before,” said Sam.
This seemed to divert the big man’s mind to a new channel of thought, and he pondered it awhile, uncertain whether to laugh or be angry.
At length he leaned over the bar and shook a huge forefinger in Sam’s face.
“You’re a fool,” he said, and glared.
Sam made no reply, but Stumpy, judging that something must be done, interposed:
“Ye’ll all have a drink with me,” he said.
Ordinarily this form of speech was unchallenged by any critic in Brownsville, and Long Mike was possibly the one citizen least likely to offer any objection, but on this occasion he turned to the speaker, and, shaking his forefinger at him, exclaimed again: