"Cunning," he muttered, "will do more than strength. I must bide my time—but I will kill them both if they are in my way, and that they will be, is nearly past a doubt!"
"There," said the man who was mixing the brandy-and-water, "there, you will find that a stiff comfortable glass; lots of brandy, and lots of sugar, and only water enough to make it hot and steamy."
"You know how to mix, Bill," said the other, as he took a drop and then was obliged to cough and wink again, it was so strong and hot.
"Ah!" thought Todd, "if it would only choke you!"
The other man then took his drink at the brandy, and he too coughed and winked, and then they both laughed and declared how precious strong it was, and one of them said—
"The fun of it is, that it was old Todd's; and when he laid in such good stuff as this, he little thought that we would be enjoying it. I wonder where he is?"
"Oh, he's far enough off by this time, poking about at some of the sea-ports to try to get away, you may depend."
"Is he," muttered Todd; "you will find, my kind friend, that I am near enough to cut your throat, I hope."
CHAPTER CXLV.
TODD HAS A NARROW ESCAPE, AND HAS A BIT OF REVENGE.
It was quite a provoking thing, and gall and wormwood to Todd in a manner of speaking, to see those two boisterous men enjoying themselves in his parlour. There could be no doubt in the world, but that if he had had the means then and there to do so, he would have hurled destruction upon them both forthwith; but he could only look at them now, and wait for a better opportunity.