Digital heart book

The offer was not made in vain; the hands had scarce
yet realised the magnitude of the reward, they had
scarce begun to buzz aloud in the extremity of hope and
wonder, ere the Chinese cook stepped forward with
gracious gestures and explanatory smiles.
"Captain," he began, "I serv-um two year Melican navy;
serv-um six year mail-boat steward. Savvy plenty."
"Oho!" cried Nares, "you savvy plenty, do you?
(Beggar's seen this trick in the mail-boat, I guess.)
Well, why you no savvy a little sooner, sonny?"
"I think bimeby make-um reward," replied the cook, with
smiling dignity.
"Well, you can't say fairer than that," the captain
admitted; "and now the reward's offered you'll talk?
Speak up then. Suppose you speak true you get reward.
See?"
"I think long time," replied the Chinaman. "See plenty
litty mat lice; too muchy plenty litty mat lice; sixty
ton litty mat lice. I think all-e-time perhaps plenty
opium plenty litty mat lice."
"Well, Mr. Dodd, how does that strike you?" asked the
captain. "He may be right, he may be wrong.


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