Of the King’s Treasure
joskins, set me babbling rather plainer than was wise, so that in the end the chandler looks at me inquisitively.
“You have seen a deal of life,” he says. “One might wonder, to be curious, what might be your trade.”
That shut me up in a trice, for I had been talking of bloody things I had seen adventured. “Ah, yes,” said I carelessly, for I knew it was best to lead ’em boldly out of their suspicions, if so be they had already conceived any. “I ha’ seen a damned sight more evil deeds than I could say. But when the Law says Mum,’ why I says ‘Mum,’ too, as in duty bound.”
“Oh!” says the fat chandler brightly. “Are you an officer?” he says.
I winked. “Hark’ee,” said I, “when silence is called, there had best be no questions,” and I nodded at him meaningly. “But an’ I might speak of what my masters would fain leave in oblivion, I could tell tales as would astonish you. Why even to-day” says I, and there broke off. “Bah!” I says, “my tongue wags.”
“We’ll ha’ some more wine,” says the
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