"Wait a bit, governor," he said, in a lower tone, arresting me by a gesture as I turned away. "Don't you think you are playing it a bit high? You are a cool one, I swear, and fly--there is nothing you are not fly to, I'll be bound! But two heads are better than one--you take me?--letting alone that it is every one for himself in this world. Do you rise to it?"
"No, I don't rise to it," I answered, drawing back from his spirituous breath and leering eyes. He was more drunk than I had fancied.
"You don't? Think again, mate," he said, almost as if he pleaded with me. "Don't play it too high."
"Don't talk such confounded nonsense!" I retorted angrily.
He looked at me a moment, a scowl darkening his face and not improving it. Then he answered, "All right, governor! All right! Pleasant dreams! and a pleasant waking at Carthagena!"
"I have no doubt I shall enjoy both," I replied, "if you will have the goodness not to disturb me as you did last night!" He should not think he had escaped detection.
"It is your turn now," he replied more soberly. "I don't know what you are up to now. I didn't disturb you last night."
"Some one did! And some one uncommonly like you."
"What did he do?" he asked, eyeing me with suspicion.
"I startled him," I answered, "or I do not know what he would have done. As it was he did not do much. He took some biscuits."