"I can't say I remember much about it, excepting that you did not give me an over-friendly greeting."
"Explain how it happened, Mr. Stanley," said Mr. Reed, "Mr.
Wyllys does not understand you."
"I certainly cannot understand what you mean me to believe. You say you were here, and did not receive a very friendly greeting—how was it unfriendly?"
"Why, you showed me the inside of your smoke-house; which, to my notion, wasn't just the right berth for the son of your old friend, and I took the liberty of kicking off the hatches next morning, and making the best of my way out of the neighbourhood."
"You remember the drunken sailor, sir, who was found one night, several years since, near the house," interrupted Harry, who had been listening attentively, and observed Mr. Wyllys's air of incredulity. "I had him locked up in the smoke-house, you may recollect."
"And you must observe, Mr. Hazlehurst, that is a fact which might look ugly before a jury that did not know you," remarked Mr. Clapp; in a sort of half-cunning, half-insinuating manner.
"I do not in the least doubt the ability of many men, sir, to distort actions equally innocent."
"But you acknowledge the fact?"
"The fact that I locked up a drunken sailor, I certainly acknowledge; and you will find me ready to acknowledge any other fact equally true."
"Do you believe this to be the person you locked up, Harry?" asked Mr. Wyllys.