Smart.—"Yes, Miss Lilly, but what a head o' hair you have, my pretty young lady; why here are curls enough to hang a score of pirates, but never a hair shall go near them, mark my words. They shall hew me into mince-meat ere they look on the sight that makes me strong as lions."
Lilly.—"But go on, dear Smart."
Smart.—"The breadth and length of them shall pass over my body ere they touch even Mrs. Hargrave. My heart sings with joy. I feel as a giant refreshed, now I know thee to be all safe and well, and growed so beautiful. I wants nothing, I cares for nothing. It's enough that I see you once more."
All the little girls and boys.—"But, dear Smart, go on. What did the pirates do to you?"
Smart.—"They did that to me as I never thought living man would do. They marked my back with stripes, but I never felt them, for the wound in my heart. They worked me worse than any horse; yet I was glad to be druv from my thoughts. And when I would fall from weakness, want, and hard treatment, I would sink with pleasure, trusting my time was come, and that they would have nothing but senseless clay to kick. Howsumdever, God has been good to me. May I never forget this hour. All things will prosper now. The good time is coming, and the worst is over. Could we but build a bridge now to bonnie ould England, I would desire nothing else in this world, save one good fight with those d——. I humbly beg pardon, ladies, but excuse poor Smart, he has almost forgot his manners in the bad company he has been keeping."
The boys.—"Never mind, Smart, we will help you to kill them. Mother and cousin Schillie were going to set about it as soon as ever the pirate vessel was gone, and we were to help."
Felix.—"And I was going to have a right and left shot, Tommy."
Smart.—"And you would ha' settled 'em, I'll be bound, Sir. What a stout fine fellow you be growed, Sir, and I hope as good too, and very sensible too; and I dare say, Sir, quite the gentleman to the little ladies."
Felix (looking down).—"Yes, yes, I dare say, perhaps, Smart, but we are not able to be ladies and gentlemen here you know. We are obliged to be servants and everything, and Otty and I are the gamekeepers."
Smart.—"Well, I do suppose, Sir, that does not prevent your behaving in a civil like way to the little ladies."