"And for that reason you modestly ask for one half?"
"Well that's a conventional phrase, you see. Of course I meant shareses. I shall be quite satisfied with one-third; and that's the way to do the thing."
"Where did you come from? I thought you were on the cliff with the young ladies," asked Leopold.
"I was there; but it seems that I came down just in the nick of time," replied the little fop. "The fact is, I drank too much wine last night, and it makes me thirsty to-day. I was almost choked, and the ladies had seated themselves on a rock, to enjoy a view of the boundless ocean, you see; and it looked to me just as though they intended to stay there all day, you see. In the mean time I was suffering with thirst; but it wasn't polite, you see, for me to leave them. It isn't the way to do the thing, you see. I knew they wouldn't want me to leave them."
Leopold looked at Stumpy, and smiled significantly.
Stumpy with the Bag of Gold. Page [253].
"My throat was as parched as though I had spent a month in the Desert of What-you-call-it, you see," continued Mr. Redmond. "I desired very much to come down to the boat and obtain a draught of cold water. I didn't expect to obtain a draft on a gold bank then—ha, ha! you see? Not bad—eh? Even a gentleman can't help making a pun sometimes, you see."
"Making a what?" asked Leopold.
"A pun—you see," laughed Mr. Redmond.