age it all somehow, even about the
pajamas. Perhaps, when the house is quiet, I may--_here_, have
another--oh, yes, you must!--won't hurt you; only a pint or so of rum in
the whole mixture. Fine, isn't it? Yes, I think Wilkes is certainly an
artist when it comes to a nightcap. Now, let me fill yours again--_oh_,
yes!"--and he did it--"Won't hurt a baby--make you sleep tight, you
know!"

And, by Jove, I had to go it!

"Well--" he shifted as if to go, and sent me a smile over his glass's
rim, "pleasant dreams!"

And then the door closed behind our "good nights."

Jenkins was studying me somberly.

"Yes, sir," he said presently, when I had made comment about the bully
punch. And that was about all I could get out of him, until he was ready
to push out the light.

Then he addressed me gloomily:

"Good night, sir," he said with a sickly, feeble smile, "I hope you'll
sleep well; and--" he coughed faintly--"and--er--wake up--h'm--all
right!"

"Frisky as a--" I bunched my head sleepily into the pillow--"as a
jolly--" But the idea wouldn't come!

"Night!" I murmured; and let it go at that!

CHAPTER XXXI

THE DEMON RUM

I _didn't_ feel frisky when I awoke!

No, dash it, I had a devilish headache and my mouth had that gummy,
warm-varnish taste--_you_ know! The sunlight lay across the floor, and
outside I could hear the jolly birds twittering among their
what's-its-names. Jenkins stood by the foot of the bed and somehow had a
gloomy look. He cleared his throat, and I had a feeling that he had
already done it several times. I raised to my elbow, mouthing at him
heavily.

"Morning, sir!" He said it very gently--I thought solicitously. "_How_
do you feel, sir?" This last in the kind of tone you use when the chap's
going to die to-morrow, don't you know, and doesn't know it yet himself.

I mumbled reply, gulping down the glass of ice-water he tendered.

He rubbed his hands one over the other and stooped above me anxiously.

"I _hope_, sir, you're not in much pain--from last night, sir, I mean?"

"Pain?" I ejaculated crossly. "Why should I be in pain? Don't be a silly
ass!"

"Yes, sir!"--very softly, and with a deep sigh as he dropped back. By
Jove, he looked as cheerful as a jolly tombstone!

"What the deuce--" I began.

"Noth--nothing, sir!"--hastily--"I was just a-thinking of the--h'm--may
I say scrimmage, sir?"

I waited till I had taken from his hand the second glass of ice-water
and swallowed