ed Harry,
decidedly.

"_Nix_ cum-a-rouse!" disagreed the old prospecter. "I'm hayr, an'
thar's no yearthly use o' denyin _that_. Barrin' ye ar' a right
peart-lookin' kid, stranger, allow me ter speculate thet it would take
a dozen, more or less--consider'bly less uv more than more o'
less--ter put me out."

Redburn laughed heartily. The old fellow's bravado amused him. Anita
however, was silent; she put dependence in her protector to arrange
matters satisfactorily.

"That savors strongly of rebellion," Redburn observed, sitting down
upon a lounge that stood hard by. "Besides, you have an advantage; I
would not attack you; you are old and unfitted for combat; deformed
and unable to do battle."

"Exactly!" the "General" confidently announced.

"What good can come of your remaining here?" demanded Anita.

"Sit down, marm, sit down, an I'll perceed ter divest myself uv w'at
little information I've got stored up in my noddle. Ye see, mum, my
name's Walsingham Nix, at yer sarvice--Walsingham bein' my great,
great grandad's fronticepiece, while Nix war ther hind-wheeler, like
nor w'at a he-mule ar' w'en hitched ter a 'schooner.' Ther Nix family
were a great one, bet yer false teeth; originated about ther time
Joner swallered the whale, down nigh Long Branch, and 've bin handed
down frum time ter time till ye behold in me ther last surrivin'
pilgrim frum ther ancestral block. Thar was one remarkable
pecooliarity about ther Nix family, frum root ter stump, an' ther war,
they war nevyer known ter refuse a gift or an advantageous offer; in
this respeck they bore a striking resemblance ter the immortell G'orge
Washington. G'orge war innercent; he ked never tell a lie. So war our
family; they never hed it in their hearts to say _Nix_ to an offer uv
a good feed or a decoction o' brandy.

"It war a disease--a hereditary affection uv ther hull combined
system. The terrible malady attacked me w'en I war an infant prodigy,
an' I've nevyer yit see'd thet time when I c'u'd resist the temptation
an' coldly say 'nix' w'en a brother pilgrim volunteered ter make a
liberal dispensation uv grub, terbarker, or bug-juice. Nix ar' a word
thet causes sorrer an' suffering ter scores 'n' scores o' people, more
or less--generally more uv less than less o' more--an' tharfore I
nevyer feel it my duty, as a Christyun, ter set a bad example w'ich
others may foller."

Redburn glanced toward Anita, a quizzical expression upon his genial
face.