as you will, and I will find the man, and that, too, in the
lugger, who will see you out in't to your heart's content. Harkee,
Philip-o; tell the gentleman, in an undertone, like, about the three
kegs of tobacco we got out of the Virginy ship the day we made the north
end of Corsica, and perhaps that will satisfy him we are not his
enemies. There is no use in bawling it out so that the woman can hear
what you say, or the men who are drinking in the other room."

"Signor Ithuello," answered the Genoese, in English, "it will not do to
let these gentlemen know anything of them kegs--one being the
deputy-governor and the other a magistrate. The lugger will be seized
for a smuggler, which will be the next thing to being seized for
an enemy."

"Yet I've a longing for them 'ere sequins, to tell you the truth,
Philip-o! I see no other means of getting at 'em, except it be through
them three kegs of tobacco."

"Why you don't take 'em, when the Signore put 'em into your very hand?
All you do is put him in your pocket, and say, 'Eccellenza, what you
please to wish?'"

"That isn't Granite, man, but more in the natur' of you Italians. The
most disgraceful thing on 'airth is a paupe"--so Ithuel pronounced
"pauper"--"the next is a street-beggar; after him comes your chaps who
takes sixpences and shillin's, in the way of small gifts; and last of
all an Englishman. All these I despise; but let this Signore say but the
word, in the way of trade, and he'll find me as ready and expairt as he
can wish. I'd defy the devil in a trade!"

Filippo shook his head, positively declining to do so foolish a thing as
to mention a contraband article to those whose duty it would be to
punish a violation of the revenue laws. In the meanwhile the sequins
remained in the hands of Andrea Barrofaldi, who seemed greatly at a
loss to understand the character of the strange being whom chance had
thus thrown in his way. The money was returned to his purse, but his
distrust and doubts were by no means removed.

"Answer me one thing, Signor Bolto," asked the vice-governatore, after a
minute of thought; "if you hate the English so much, why do you serve in
their ships? why not quit them on the first good occasion? The land is
as wide as the sea, and you must be often on it."

"I calculate, Signor Squire, you don't often study charts, or you
wouldn't fall into such a consait. There's twice as much water as solid
ground on this 'airth, to begin with; as in re