“And who the deuce are you?” demanded the captain, after he had sufficiently scrutinised the appearance of his prisoner.
“Faix and isn’t it King Teddy O’Riley I am?” replied the man.
“And what part o’ the world are you king of, I should like to know?” asked Hearty in considerable surprise.
“Faix and ain’t I king ov Blatherumskite?” said the other.
“And where, in the name o’ all that’s wonderful, is Blatherumskite?” inquired the captain.
“And is it yourself that doesn’t know where Blatherumskite is?” exclaimed his majesty in seeming wonder. “Well the ignorance o’ some people is amazin! Not know Blatherumskite! Be the holy japers that bates Bannagher, and Bannagher bate the divle. And Blatherumskite sich a jewel ov a place! Why Blatherumskite’s the finest kingdom and has the finest paple under the sun. It’s full ov commodities ov all sorts. It dales in turpentine, brickdust, soft soap, and other swate mates—tracle, and train oil, pepper and salt, and other hardware,—pigs, buttermilk, paraties, and other kumbustibles. Not know Blatherumskite indade! Be this and be that, you’re as ignorant as a born brute.”
“And what induced you to fire at me, Mr. King Teddy O’Riley?” demanded the captain.
“Faix and wasn’t it only just to kill ye we fired at ye?” replied the king, with the utmost simplicity.
“It was, was it?” exclaimed Hearty; “and for what reason did you attack the ship?”
“Wid no other rason in life than to take it,” responded his majesty. “I was jist a lading the boys to make a decint on England, wid the hope ov being able to pick up a few thrifles, when we seed your ship. ‘The top ov the morning to ye,’ says I, ‘and if I don’t be afther ransacking ye intirely small blame to me there’ll be.’ And then we pulled away at the divle’s own rate, and a mighty dale ov divarsion the boys had about what they’d do wid the big ship when they’d got her, when widout wid your lave or by your lave, I was regularly kilt, smashed, and smothered into the wather. And here I am.”