"I know many things. I know that any cousin descended from those brave

days loves the sea and its ways more than he loves the law. And if

money has come easy--as this did--what harm if a cousin should take

the price of a rat-skin or two and carry out a letter or so to the

railway, and keep a close mouth about it as well? To the good old

days, and Messieurs, my friends!" I had seen the neck of a flask in

Peterson's pocket, and now I took it forth, unscrewed the top, and

passed it, with two bills of one hundred dollars each.

They poured, grinned. I stood, waiting for their slow brains to act,

but there was only a foregone answer. The keeper drank first, as

ranking his tender; the other followed; and they handed the

flask--not the bills--back to Peterson and me.

"Merci, mes amis!" said I. "And I drink to Jean Lafitte and the old

days! Perhaps, you may buy a mass for your cousin's soul?"

"Ah non!" answered the keeper. "Hees soul she's hout of Purgatoire

long hago eef she'll goin' get hout. Me, I buy me some net for

s'rimp."

"An' me, two harpent more lan' for my farm," quoth the tender.

"Alas! poor Jean!" said I. "But he was so virtuous a man that he needs

no masses after a hundred years, perhaps. As you like. You will take

the letters; and this for the telegraph?"

"Certain'! I'll took it those," answered the tender. "You'll stayed

for dish coffee, yass?" inquired the keeper, with Cajun hospitality.

"No, I fear it is not possible, thank you," I replied. "We must be

going soon."

"An' where you'll goin', Monsieur?"

"Around the island, up the channel, up the old oyster-boat channel of

Monsieur Edouard. The letters are some of them for Monsieur Edouard

himself. And you know well, mes amis, that once we lie at the wharf

of Monsieur Edouard, not the government even of the state will touch

us yonder?"

"My faith, non! I should say it--certain' not! No man he'll mawnkey

wit' Monsieur Edouard, heem! You'll was know him, Monsieur?"

"We went to school together. We smoked the same pipe."

"My faith! You'll know Monsieur Edouard!" The keeper shook my hand.

"H'I'll was work for Monsieur Edouard manny tam hon hees boat, hon

hees plantation, hon hees 'ouse. When I'll want some leetle money,

s'pose those hrat he'll wasn't been prime yet, hall H'I'll need was to

go non Monsieur Edouard, hask for those leetle monny. He'll han' it on

me, yass, heem, ten dollar, jus' like as heasy Monsieur has gave it me

hondred dollar now, yas, heem!"

"Yes? Well, I know that a cousin of Jean Lafitte--who no doubt has dug

for treasure all over the dooryard of Monsieur Edouard----"




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024