arried him to
the rail and dropped him into the dory, saying to the boatman:

"Take him ashore immediately, or he will have to swim ashore, for I
shall throw him overboard if he boards the _White Wings_ again."

The queer little man in gray looked astounded and then amused. He
reached up and pulled his coat collar round into place, and stared at
Bruce, beginning to chuckle, as if the whole thing was a very
entertaining joke.

"He! he!" he laughed. "Excuse me. Can't help it. Very funny. You chaps
act like you thought I'd bite. I won't bite. Never bit a man in all my
life. However, I see you are determined to go away without me, and I'll
not try to force myself upon you. If there is anything I detest it is a
man who makes himself obnoxious by forcing himself on others. He! he!"

"Ha! ha!" laughed Hans. "I vos der funniest man you efer seen, ain'd id?
Vale! vale! vale! Der next dime you come aproad der _Vite Vings_ you hat
petter stayed ashore."

"Now, that is more than I can stand," cried the little man, trying to
look fierce. "No Irishman can talk to me like that."

"Vat?" shouted Hans. "Who vos I callin' an Irishman? You petter peen
gareful ur you vill got me indo drouple! I vant you to understood I
nefer peen an Irishman in mein life!"

"I don't wonder you deny your nationality," said Mr. Cooler. "But you
cannot deceive anyone. That mug and that brogue will betray anywhere
that you are Irish to the bone."

Hans began to jump up and down excitedly, shaking his fist at the little
man.

"You shust safed my life py geddin' off this yotch vrom!" he yelled. "I
murdered der last man vat caldt you Irish! Uf I efer seen you again you
vill punch mein face off, und don'd you vorgot id!"

"Oh, keep cool, Patsey," advised the man in gray.

Now a wild howl issued from Dunnerwust's throat, and he rushed to the
rail, leaning over to shake his fist as near his tomentor as possible.

"Uf you dare to caldt me Batsey aken you vill gif me a lickens!" he
wildly threatened. "I von't pe caldt Batsey! Batsey vasn't your name, so
don'd you dare to caldt me dot! I vos porn in Sharmeny."

"What part of Ireland is that in?" mildly inquired the little man. "I
should say by your brogue that you came from County Cork, or somewhere
in the south of Ireland."

"Oh, gif me someding to murter him mit!" shrieked Hans, like a maniac.
"Gif me a gun! I vill shot him on der spot, or somevere near id! Gif me
a gun!"

Then he made a wild rush