The proviso in this reply betrayed a significant fact: that the young man was not very well acquainted with the family affairs of his colonial kinsman.
The astute Justice did not fail to notice this deficiency in the nephew’s knowledge.
“How long hash you been in Shamaica?” asked he, as if endeavouring to arrive at an explanation of some point that was puzzling him.
“A night, and part of two days—in all, about twenty-four hours,” replied Herbert, with scrupulous exactness.
“Blesh my soul!” again exclaimed the Justice; “only twenty-four hours! It’sh a wonder you’re not at your uncle’s house? You hash been there?”
“Oh, yes,” answered Herbert, carelessly.
“You come to shtay at Mount Welcome, I supposhe?”
Herbert made no reply to this interrogatory. “You shleep there lash night? Excushe me young man, for ashking the question, but ash a magistrate—”
“You are perfectly welcome to the answer, your worship,” said Herbert, laying a satirical emphasis on the titular phrase; “I did not sleep there last night.”
“Where did you shleep then?”