I imagined they had entered the hovel
with a hostile intention, that my benefactor was upon the point of being
robbed, and I probably murdered.
This suspicion however was soon removed. They addressed my conductor
with respect, under the appellation of captain. They were boisterous and
noisy in their remarks and exclamations, but their turbulence was
tempered by a certain deference to his opinion and authority. I could
observe in the person who had been my active opponent some awkwardness
and irresolution as he first perceived me, which he dismissed with a
sort of effort, exclaiming, "Who the devil is here?" There was something
in the tone of this apostrophe that roused the attention of my
protector. He looked at the speaker with a fixed and penetrating glance,
and then said, "Nay, Gines, do you know? Did you ever see the person
before?"--"Curse it, Gines!" interrupted a third, "you are damnably out
of luck. They say dead men walk, and you see there is some truth in
it."--"Truce with your impertinence, Jeckols!" replied my protector:
"this is no proper occasion for a joke.
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