Page:Marriott Watson--Galloping Dick.djvu/254

 immediately his eyes lit up with that choice smile of his, and says he—

“My good man,” he says, “I had not presumed to quite such hospitable acquaintance, for in truth I am too little used to such fellowship as yours to desire to lose it hastily.”

“And what the devil,” I cried with asperity, for his tone was something superior, “do you with your ‘good man’? I’ll have you remember that I am any man’s equal, to say nothing of a damned Cupid’s.”

“As for good man,” he replied suavely, “I will not defend the adjective; and in respect of equality—why, I daresay you make a better thing of it than I.”

“Faith,” says I, seeing he spoke so humbly, “maybe I do. But an’ you take my full pockets to heart, there’s stranger things have happened than that I should put you on the road to fortune yourself. I ha’ caged a deal more goldfinches in a week than your kidney would gather in a twelvemonth. In a way I have ta’en a sort of liking to you.”

“You are very good,” says he, as humbly