that's what you have done in coming here
for a minute. But stay a week with us, and the master will tell it you
again. We've heard it once or twice before."

The old grizzled sea veteran scratched the remains of his ear, and
growled jocosely while nodding to young Darcantel.

"Ah! my dear boy, and I'll tell you how the surgeon and nipcheese there
were entertained by a one-eyed old Spaniard at St. Jago."

"Let's hear it!" roared every body except the medico and purser. "Out
with it, master!"

"Well, messmates, when we were in the old 'Scourge,' a long time ago,
one day we anchored in St. Jago de Cuba."

Here the surgeon and purser smiled horribly, and implored the grizzled
old navigator not to go on; every body had heard that old story; he
might fall ill with the _vomito pietro_, and would require pills; or
else there might be found a mistake in his pay account, and he would
like, perhaps, to draw for the imaginary balance not due to him, and to
drink his grog and scratch the remains of his old ear, or turn his
attention to the load of clams waiting for him at Sandy Hook! But, for
mercy's sake, don't repeat that silly, long-forgotten yarn!

"Well, messmates, in less than an hour after we had anchored in St. Jago
they went on shore, and made the acquaintance of a little thin, sharp
old villain, with one eye, who invited them to make him a visit, and
pass the evening on a fine estate he owned near the base of the Copper
Hills, some distance--about four leagues, I believe--from the town. He
was a most respectable person, very rich, and commanded a Cuban guarda
costa to boot. The _capitano_, Don Ignacio Sanchez--wasn't that his
name, doctor? Oh! you forget--all right! Off they started with a guide,
on hired mules; but when they pulled up at their destination they found
the Don wasn't there, though they were handsomely entertained by the
senora--a comely, fat, and waspish body, with very few clothes on--who
cursed her Don for sending people to see her, and the visitors too for
coming. However, as her guests had not dined, she fed them bountifully
on a supper of the nastiest jerked beef and garlic they had ever
smelled. You told me so, purser."

Both Pills and Purser had forgotten all about it, and thought it would
be better to talk of something else; that there was plenty of good wine
to drink in place of drying his lips on such dusty old rubbish.

"Well, messmates, after the supper the old lady demanded a little gam