“What’s that?”
“These two young gintlemen are the spalpeens that tried to hold ye up, Captain, the ither night on yer way home. That fur outweighs the taking of a few postage stamps from some country offices.”
“The puzzling feature of that business,” said Alvin, “is that when you meet those two fellows again, you will not have Mr. Calvert along to protect you.”
Mike stared as if he failed to catch the meaning of this astounding remark.
“Plaise say that agin, Captain, and say it slow like.”
Alvin’s face being turned away, he was not forced to maintain his gravity while he repeated in his most serious tones the remark quoted.
“All I have to say to that is not to say anything, as Teddy Geoghan observed whin they found a stolen pig in the bag he was carrying over his shoulder which the same he insisted was filled with clothes for Widow Mulligan.”