Even Ezekiel Taylor had his doubts on this point, though he was not disposed, under the present agreeable circumstances, to indulge in any controversy on the point.
"The more they bring in, the better," said he, encouragingly.
"By the way, Zeke, that boy of yours is in luck to-day," continued Captain Chinks, toying with his glass.
"He ain't no boy o' mine," said the toper, with no little indignation in his tones. "He's my wife's boy."
"Well, it's all the same. He's a smart boy."
"He's smart enough; but he ain't the right sort of a boy. He's rather too smart."
"That was a bad scrape he got into about that letter; but I can't believe he opened it, and took the money out," added Captain Chinks, still toying with the glass, and apparently without the least interest in the conversation in which he was engaged.
"He ain't none too good to do sech a thing," muttered Ezekiel, as he recalled the wickedness of the boy in destroying "his property."