"Because there's a job on hand that requires cool brains, ye guzzling ape!" answered Jinks, in a tone which showed he was not to be frightened by the bully, his brother in roguery. "Wide-mouthed Bob will be here directly, and we must then prepare for business."
"What the devil can he be about to be so late?" cried the woman, who was still squatted before the fire: "the broth's ready, and I shall pour it out if he doesn't come in a crack. Hark!" she said,—and the quarrelsome crew were silent:—"there he is!"
Jinks started from his broken chair at the sound of a whistle, hurried down the steps, and was speedily in his old position again, while the new comer was welcomed with shouts of "Give us your hand, captain!—success to ye!"
"Silence, you fools!" said he who was thus saluted: "d'ye mean to bring the bull-dogs upon us?" And he took up the jug, but finding it empty, he looked discontented. Jinks, however, seized the jug, removed the barrel from the spot on which it stood, pulled up a trap-door, and descended, and then returned with the jug refilled, with the usual rapidity that characterised his movements.
"Ay, ay, you know who's come now, old juggler," said the bully, tauntingly, to Jinks as he again appeared from the subterraneous room, with the vessel full of brandy.
"Yes, and I know that they have a right to the sugar-candy that are the first to put their fingers into the fire to get it," said Jinks, showing his ugly teeth very forbiddingly; "and not every skinking coward that ties his neck to his heels to save it when there's work to be done."
The bully returned no answer, seeming conscious that his cowardice deserved the rebuke.
"Get the supper-tools out, Jinks," said the woman, and took the boiling caldron from the fire.
Jinks climbed upon his chair, and reaching down a large wooden bowl, from its concealment in the ceiling of the room, placed it upon the end of the barrel, and sat down again.
"Why, you old brute, do ye think we are going to pig it all out of one trough, on a night like this?" exclaimed the woman, pouring out the stew into the bowl:—"reach every man his pap-spoon and dish, or I'll spoil your grinding before you begin!" and she aimed a blow, with a brazen ladle, at Jinks's scalp, which he evaded, and reached forth a set of basins and spoons from the same strange repository.