"How the devil were ye likely?" said Jinks: "that Paul would puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer, for he was a devilish long-headed fellow, and no mistake; as for Jeremiah, and the rest of 'em, I know little about 'em; but it was an ugly slavish way of using you, my lad,—you'll find the difference now. All that you have to do is to mind your P's and Q's, and I'll warrant ye, it'll be a merry life for ye."
The lad snivelled again, and felt wonderfully pleased.
"Now hark ye, Sam," continued Jinks, "who had your master in the house, besides himself and you?"
"The missus," answered Sam; "but hur never taks no notice o' nowt, hur's ower deeaf."
"Capital!" exclaimed Jinks, cracking his thumb and finger; and then the lad received instruction as to his first grand act of villainy, and while he was receiving it, Bess prepared the caldron, once more.
Three hours elapsed, and the whistle of Wide-mouthed Bob was heard again. Jinks performed his porter's office as before, and the captain and three others of the gang speedily tugged up the stairs a couple of kegs of liquor, which were as speedily concealed in the subterranean room.
"Where's the rest o' the birds?" asked the woman.
"Sent 'em home to roost," replied the captain; "and now you and all of us must cut, old girl, and leave Jinks to his cage."
"But not before we've tasted the new broach," said the woman.
"No more tasting of it, this morning," answered Bob; "we shall soon be blown, if we carry on that game: we'll have breakfast and go."