"If they could understand you they would go right up in the air."
"Nevertheless and notwithstanding," said McCarthy, indicating with his finger, "I'll take this one; it appeals to me."
"I'll worry this one," said Dink with equal astuteness.
They took several puffs, watched by the enthusiastic spectators.
"Well?" said McNab.
Stover looked wisely at McCarthy, flirting the cigar between his careless fingers.
"Not bad."
"Rather good bouquet," said McCarthy, who knew no more than Stover.
"Let's begin at eight dollars and stick at ten," said Dink.
At that latter price, despite the openly expressed scorn of the American allies of the struggle for Cuban independence, Stover received a box of one hundred finest Havana cigars—fit for a museum, as McNab repeated—and saw the advance guard of the liberators disappear.