ve her. Says
she's his brother's wife's niece. But he says you must give him the two
bottles of _skutiawpwe_ first, though."

The object of these frivolous negotiations had meanwhile covered her head
with the blanket, from the folds of which issued shrill giggles. Sun
Dog, who had been listening intently with hand scooped to ear (he was
somewhat deaf), now precipitated himself into the discussion. Violently
thrusting his elder companion aside he commenced to harangue MacDavid in
an excited voice and with vehement gestures of disapprobation of the
whole proceedings. The trader translated swiftly:

"He says _Nemoyah_!--not to give the bottles to Many Drunks, as when he
gets full of _skutiawpwe_ he raises hell on th' reserve, an' there's no
livin' with him. Says he beats up his squaw an' starts in to scalp th'
dogs an' chickens."

"Shtop ut!" bawled Slavin, "d'ju hear, Yorkey? . . . shtoolin' th'
nitchie on tu commit a felony an' th' like, thataways!" He sniffed
disgustedly. "_Skutiawpwe_ an' squaws! . . . blarney me sowl! but ye've a
quare idea av a josh. 'Tis a credit y'are tu th' Ould Counthry, an' no
error. I do not wondher ye left ut."

"Sh-sh!" said that gentleman soothingly, "coarsely put, Burke! coarsely
put! . . . Say Wine and Women, guv'nor! Wine and Women! If you were in
India, Burke, they'd make you Bazaar-Sergeant--put you in charge of the
morals of the regiment. Both items are all right--always providing you
don't get a lady like Misthress Lee for a chaser. How'd you like to be
in Nick's shoes? What 'shteps' would you take?"

Slavin stared at his tormentor, blankly, a moment. "Shteps?" he
ejaculated sharply, "fwhat shteps?" . . . He leant back with a fervent
sigh and softly rubbed his huge hands together. "Long wans, avick! . . .
eyah, d----d long wans, begorrah!"

Many Drunks now realizing that he was merely the victim of a joke,
scowled in turn upon Yorke. Muttering something to MacDavid he backed up
against the wall and, squatting down, proceeded philosophically to fill
his pipe.

"What's that he said?" queried Yorke of the interpreter, "I couldn't
catch it."

The latter grinned. "He says--of all the white men he's ever met in his
time, Stamixotokon[1] and my self are the only ones he's ever known to
tell th' truth."

"It's my belief the beggar'd flirt with Mrs. Lee, himself, if he only got
the chance" said Redmond laconically, "d'you recollect that day he picked
her parcel