Page:On to Pekin.djvu/104

84 "Vot you vos do on der dransport, den? Maype you vos von newsbaber man?"

"That's a little in my line. Here, have a cigar."

Nuggy Polk passed over a weed. "I am interested in the lieutenant. Did you ever hear of what business he was in?"

"I dink he vos a pook-keeper ven der var proke out."

"I used to know some Penningtons down South," went on Nuggy Polk, boldly. "They were in an importing company at Richmond."

"Der lieutenant's fadder vos vonce in an imborting company in Richmond. I heard him tell mine friend Captain Russell so von tay."

"Indeed!" Nuggy Polk paused a moment. "Well, it doesn't matter particularly," he went on; and then asked Carl Stummer about his life in the army, and spoke of what might be expected in China, thus trying to put the German soldier "off the track," as he afterward told Nickerson.

Nuggy Polk had learned enough to convince him that Gilbert was either the son of Jefferson Pennington or closely related to the dead man; and the news disturbed him a good deal.