"Soup all around, Rajah," said Riggs, as if to close the subject.
"Do you carry deadly weapons, Mr. Trenholm? Do you approve of the bearing of arms?"
"I always have a weapon at hand," I replied seriously. "One never can tell when it will be needed in this country, and I believe in always being ready for an emergency."
"Indeed! And is it possible that you have a dagger concealed upon your person?"
"No daggers; but this is my right bower"—tapping the butt of the pistol on my right side—"and this is my left bower," and I tapped my left side.
Mr. Trego burst out laughing at this, much to the discomfiture of Meeker, who glared at him, and edged away from me.
"And do you carry such death-dealing machinery, Mr. Trego?" asked Meeker, a sneer in the question.
Trego reached for his malacca cane. In an instant he had whipped it apart and presented a delicate point toward Meeker, who recoiled at the suddenness of the unexpected thrust.
"With me at all times," said Trego, when the captain stopped laughing. "And my cabeen—eet ees one beeg arsenal, like you call it in your language. Yes."
"A pitiable example for the heathen," said Meeker. "I trust that you are not armed to the teeth, as the expression goes, captain."