466 A TONGOUSE DRINKS FORTY POUNDS OF BUTTER, 
'‘Because they like to drink it better,” was the replj’, 
“I have seen one of them drink forty pounds and then 
go to sleep.” 
“Did he ever wake up again?” asked a surprised 
voice. 
“None of your marines' yarns here, old gentleman,” 
remarked another. 
“Oh, Mr. Freigliburg!^' exclaimed a fourth, in a depre- 
catory tone , — forty pounds?” 
“Forty? Yes; any one of these Tongouse that you 
see will drink twenty as an everyday affair; but there is 
one fellow in particular, who, as I say, once drank forty 
and then went to sleep. I pledge you my honour.” 
“Yew didn’t see him, Mr. Freighburg?” I asked, in a 
hesitating voice; for, after commencing the question, I 
suddenly remembered that he had already pledged his 
honour to its truth, 
“Yes I did, though,” he replied; “and I’ll tell you how 
it was. A friend of mine was as skeptical as you are, 
and so I just said to him, ‘Mr. Henry, I see that you don’t 
believe what I tell you.’ 
“ ' Not a bit of it,’ he said. 
“‘Well,’ said I, 'you pay for forty pounds of butter 
that is in the Company’s warehouse, and give it to him, 
and if he doesn’t drink it all before noon (this was about 
nine o’clock in the morning) I’ll pay you back the 
money.’ 
“‘Agreed!’ he exclaimed, and commenced to feel at 
once for his pocket-book; but I told him, ‘Never mind the 
money yet a while,’ and sent my servant to hunt up the 
Tongouse. 
