“And when the brat is born the Sultan slices off the heads of twenty prisoners to celebrate.
“Well, it wasn’t no time before the Favorite sidles up to him again.
“‘You had another dream, Celestial Master.’
“But this time he’s wise. He hides behind the reeds of the lily pond one night, and sees the Eunuch and his old girl come down the trail. In a few minutes the Sultan’s eyes pop out of his head. He hears the rustle of the grass and the next thing he knows, a tight mainstay and a tall foremast is reflected in the water of the pond beside the lily pads.
“Of course, both heads was thrown into the Tigris. But the Sultan, thinkin’ maybe the first time was a dream, handed over ten concubines and the Great Emerald of Phallis to his son.”
Dutch stopped talking. The seamen’s faces were blank.
“I don’t get it,” said one of the sailors. “How could Balled Billy swing it?”
“That’s what I paid coffee to find out,” said Dutch, solemnly. “There was a god-damned testicle under his vest. It didn’t come down when he was born. It was hangin’ high—but it worked.”
There was a moment of silence.