“Golly!” chuckled the darky, “he done fink somefin’ got him fo’ suah!”
Into the flask he put a liberal quantity of the ground peppers. Then he touched his tongue to the compound.
The touch fairly lifted him off his feet. A swallow would seem sufficient to send a man up in smoke, so hot was it.
So delighted was the darky with the prospect that he yielded to immediate laughter.
Barney heard it and cried:
“Phwat the divil ails yez, naygur? Phwat do yez foind so funny?”
Pomp sobered at once.
“I was jes’ larfin’ to mahse’f,” he replied hastily, fearful that he would be suspected.
“Laughin’ at yesilf! Well, shure that’s nothin’ to be wondhered at. But shure will yez hurry up wid the crather?”
“Yo’ hold yo’ patience jes’ a bit till I put dis bread in de oven!” replied Pomp, “I’se comin’.”