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Rh CHAPTER XXI.

SOCIAL INTERCOURSE IN THE CAVERN.

" you are," cried the sympathetic Irishman, enlarging on the nature of the viands, as he spread them temptingly before the hungry men; "here's food fit for a Dey, to say nothin' of a month. Here's a loaf—ain't it?—about a fut an' a half long an' three inch thick. Coorious to look at, but a good un to eat I make no doubt—that's a foundation for 'ee—there, cut 'im up an' fire away; ye can't listen properly to me discoorse till you git yer jaws to work. This here is a pie o' some sort, I shud say, havin' regard to the shape, only that ain't the sort o' wittles a Jew would send 'ee, is it? P'raps it's wild-boar, for I've seed no end o' them critters in the market. Maybe it's lion, for they do says there's lots o' the king o' beasts in the mountains hereabouts, though I can't say I've heerd 'em roar yet. Hows'ever, wotever it is, here it is, so go a-head.—Hallo!" exclaimed Flaggan remonstratively, as he cast a glance at the sleeping man beside him, "you've