When Hobbyhead was taking a holiday down at Long Branch, with his family, the price he had to pay rather congealed his blood.
Some of the descendants of Captain Kidd must have settled there and grown up with the country.
At any rate they bleed a man just as thoroughly as in the palmy days of Blackbeard and his corsair crew.
Hobbyhead had intended spending two weeks at the shore, but when he scanned his bill he found he would have just about money enough left to pay fares home.
And he considered there must have been some mistake about it to leave him even that.
While he was feeling sore and disgruntled, he chanced to fall into conversation with the proprietor.
This gentleman complained that the rats gave them considerable trouble, and that he would pay considerable to be rid of the gnawing rodents.
"I can tell you an infallible cure, sir," said Hobbyhead.