“Yes, as your honor sees, we’ve got him fast enough,” answered Roger.
Everage approached the sleeping child and gazed in his tranquil face.
“Did he cry much?” he inquired, in a subdued tone.
“Cry?” laughed Black Bill. “‘Cry?’—Lord love you, sir, no! He thought it was a frolic, and he whooped ‘stop thief’ with the lustiest on ’em till the clooryfum quieted of him.”
“But when he was brought here?”
“Oh, he was asleep then.”
“Good Heaven!” exclaimed Everage, fairly jumping off his feet with fright, “has he been in that state ever since?”
“Lord bless your honor, no, sir! He woke up bright as a skylark the minute we flung water in his face.”
“And then was he frightened? Did he cry for his mother?”
“Lord love you, no, sir! Never see such a plucky little cove. He scolded us men, and he petted Meg, and he put his precious little cap on the old woman’s head. Such a figure it made of her—ha! ha! ha!—ho! ho! ho!” laughed both brothers.