“It’s the old man’s perk,” said Mr. Iles. “B’gee. I was in a turtler once, off of the Grand Cays there. I done that once. I didn’t do it a second time. No, sir.”
“What did they do to you?” said Olivia.
“He give me der lid for me supper, lady.”
“How old were you then?” said Perrin.
“A young one,” said Iles. “My old pop was the old man in that ship.”
“Your old——?”
“My pop. The old one. My father.”
“Tell us one of those stories you were spinning me this afternoon, Iles,” said Stukeley. “That one about the girl. You know. The girl. The girl who——”
“Which girl?” said Mr. Iles. “I don’t know which girl you mean.”
“The girl outside Paddy’s. Mr. Iles is a wonderful raconteur,” he explained. “He’s like an old sailor, you know. Excellent. He told me some this afternoon.”