"Yes," said Damon, "but always with rogues; he'd find it rather a different business at an honest ground-scuffle, where every man had to take care of his own ears."
"You think, then, he could not be so successful in Kentucky as he is in New-York, at his occupation," said Lamar.
"He'd be off the scent there, and I rather think he'd soon look like the babes in the woods; you see he has the rogues in the city like a coon when he's treed; an old dog's better than a young one in such a fix."
"But come, Damon, go on with your adventures of the day which Chevillere's entrance interrupted."
"Not till we have wet our whistles; come, stranger (to Chevillere), you have'nt drank nothin since you came into the room, nor into the city either, for what I know."
"You know," said Chevillere, "that I am a cold water man, upon taste and principle both."
"And that's what I call ra'al hard drink; well, here's to the little gal of the circus, and the little gal down yonder at the hotel; cold water's but a sorry drink to pledge such warm-hearted creters—but I see talking of them makes you look solemncholy again, and so here goes for my day's work; let me see—where did I leave off?"
"At the commission house where you carried the letter," said Lamar.
"Ah, by the hokies! so it was. Well, you see, I marched into the great store, as they had told me it was, with my nose uppermost, like a pig in the wind, I had an order on them for some of the eel-skins—but I soon brought my snout down agin; ho! ho! thought I, here's a pretty spot of work! I'm a Turk if I aint tetotally dished."
"What was the matter?" said Chevillere.