“First and foremost, I belonged to the divil himself, or I niver would be torminted as I am!” said Judith, impatiently.
“But you were in the sutler’s wagon, were you not?” again inquired Justin.
“Oh, ay, yes; bad luck to it, I was in the sutler’s wagon whin thim haythins saized it. And be the same token, I hope you’ve come with your army to hang ivery one iv thim!”
“Why, Judith, what are you thinking of, my girl? Don’t you see that I am a prisoner like yourself?” said Justin.
“You a prisoner! Sure the thaives niver had the impudence to make you a prisoner?” exclaimed Judith, in consternation.
“It is as you see, my girl,” answered Colonel Rosenthal, smiling in spite of his misfortunes.
“Thin the world must be coming to an ind! And serve it right; for it’s a baste iv a world altogether, where a Christian can’t sail upon the say without the fear iv shipwrecks, and desert islands, and say-fights, and pirates, and the like; and can’t travel upon the land itself without falling among thaives!” exclaimed the woman.
“But, Judith, my girl, how did you happen to be among the sutlers?” inquired Justin.
“D’ye see me gay Tom there, with his head bound up? He is always getting his crown cracked, is me gay Tom. If he hadn’t a hard Scotch head, he’d been dead long ago. D’ye see him, mind?”
“Yes,” replied Justin, now turning to look again at the tall man, and recognizing McAlpine.