"'Stranger,' he said, 'I reckon that you did not put that question to me merely out of idle curiosity.'
"I half closed one of my own eyes, and admitted that I had been actuated by a higher motive.
"'You have a notion, likely?' he continued.
"'I do not waste words,' I rejoined impatiently. 'I do not talk for the sake of talking. I am Jean Antoine——'
"'Jest so,' said Captain Shagg. 'You have a notion. I have no notions myself, but I have grit. And I'm a judge of notions—more particularly over a glass of rum. The rum, stranger, is in my cabin.'
"He led the way to his cabin, and I followed him. He produced the rum, and would not let me follow up the subject until we had both drunk two stiff glasses of it, explaining that, for a proper appreciation of notions a clear head was necessary. Then, having filled the glasses for the third time, he got to business.
"'Now, stranger, what is your notion?' he inquired encouragingly.
"I answered by repeating my previous question—
"'I must first know whether you can do anything to this steamer to make it pass, at a reasonable distance, and among comparatively ignorant people, for a gunboat.'
"'Wal, yes,' said Captain Shagg. 'There's Union Jacks; there's paint; there's timber to make dummy guns. Allowing that it was worth while, I reckon it could be done. But what's your notion, stranger?'