“Master Hawkins!” cried Samuel Livingstone, alarmed.
The man’s countenance cleared like magic; with a wide gesture he burst into a great laugh.
“Don’t mind me, sir,” cautioned he. “I will have my jest at even the most unseemly of times. But come, I’ll not detain you with my clowning.” And with that he took the merchant by the arm and started jovially for the door. But upon reaching it he turned and addressed himself to Ben once more.
“I ask your pardon, my lad, for the liberty taken in presuming to have a laugh at your expense. Perhaps,” and there was a covert meaning in both his voice and eyes, “we shall meet at some other time. And, if it should so chance, trust me to remember you, even if you should, after all, forget me.”
And with that the door closed upon both him and the merchant, and Ben and the Porcupine sat looking into each other’s faces.
CHAPTER III
SHOWS HOW BEN COOPER STARTED UPON
A MISSION IN THE EARLY DAWN
For a brief space after the departure of Tobias Hawkins and Merchant Livingstone, Ben Cooper and the Porcupine continued to look inquiringly at each other.
“Well?” said the dwarf, at last.
“Well?” returned Ben, in the same tone, and with that they burst into a laugh.
“An odd fish,” commented the Porcupine, crossing one short leg over the other and nodding his head. “An odd fish, indeed. And he seemed to have some sort of a hidden meaning behind his words as he went out.”