“That will be quick work, Phil, considering the difficulty of your task and your age?”
“Surely I’m not as young an’ active as I ought be, Masther Walker, but this is work that must be done at once an’ whin it’s over, you’ll admit that old Phil is no snail whin his frinds want him to hurry.”
Peter impulsively put out his hand and grasped that of the old man.
“By the Lord!” he exclaimed, “I wish there were more hearts of gold like yours, Phil the Fifer! I have often wondered how a man of your intelligence could be content with the humble occupation of a pedler. You must have come of good stock, Phil?”
“No betther in the old County Kerry, Masther Walker, even if I do say it meself, that shouldn’t. But that’s not here or there now. Old Phil has made his bed an’ he must lie on it; but there was a time whin there wasn’t a smarter gorsoon in the Pinnsylvany Rifles than Phil Murphy! That winter at Valley Forge thried the best of us, but nobody could say that Phil was a grumbler.”
“I’m sure of that, old friend.”
“I’m thinkin’, Masther Walker, that if I see aither of our frinds on the frigate, it won’t do for me to show the British that I know thim.”
“Why, Phil, they will be sure to speak to you if they get a chance?”
“I know that, but I must thry an’ let the inimy believe that I never saw Captain Knowles or Captain Mayo before. ’Twill be hard for me to do so, especially if the captains get ahead of any signal I may make to thim, but I may be able to manage it.”
“That’s so. Hoppy is nimble-witted and it won’t take much to make him understand your object in avoiding them. Use your own judgment, Phil.”