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"I know s 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 ood 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