186 THE GAM. 



two would love each other just like no thin' 

 oncommon 'd happened." 



An appreciative grin spread over the faces of 

 the listeners. 



"Just wait till we put in at Johanna," said 

 one ; " we'll butter them natives ; we'll make 

 buttered rolls of the whole crew of 'em ; Mowed 

 if we wont." 



Then Bilge resumed. 



'" That ain't the only thing the old man done at 

 Johanna, bless his old soul. One day he goes on 

 shore an' cruises 'round with a Moslem merchant 

 intendin' to go to the brown man's house. All on 

 a sudden a bell rings out from a big white mosque, 

 an' down drops the brown man on his knees like 

 he was shot — down killick ! — an' he clapped his 

 head three times on the ground an' had over a 

 long pious chanty in Ay-rab lingo, an' then up he 

 got ag'in an' looked 'round for the old man. But 

 the old man, bless his soul, he'd forged ahead 

 while the brown man was hove down, an' so he 

 come up to the house first. Ha, ha ! 



" Now you know how shy them Johanna 

 women be." 



" Guess I do," broke in the Man Who Had 

 Been There Himself. " You bet I do ! You can 

 gamble on that, night an' day, b'gosh ! You cruise 



