Ralph D. Paine

“ Hank Wilkins was unnoticed for the moment.
With a mighty, grunting heave of his big chest, and with every splendid muscle swelled and taut, he strained against his bonds in a supreme effort. Nothing weaker than a wire cable could have withstood it. The curtain cords snapped and the sailor was on his feet with a bound like an angry cat. Before the nearest burglar could turn, Mr. Wilkins had hurled a mahogany chair at him. It sped like a twelve-inch shell, dashed his victim against ”

“ Wilkins, as he pounded the table so that the glasses danced jigs. "Some of 'em plays they're kings or trains of choo-choo cars, but whiskers is certainly harmless and diverting."
"We will have the first sitting to-morrow morning, then," said I. "I am a fair amateur with oils and I can assure you a creditable likeness."
"Don't hurry it, sir," anxiously put in the sailor. "It's a shame to spoil a beard like mine to save time, which was made for slaves." ”

“ And you with the red whiskers, put 'em over your head. Ride herd on 'em, Bill, and shoot if they bat an eye while we tackle the safe."
Mr. Hank Wilkins stood fixed with hands upraised in an attitude of patriarchal benediction while with an expression of humorous appreciation he listened to my heroic refusal to reveal the combination of the safe. ”

“ Rubies in his whiskers,
For he told me so."
I grasped the hard fist of my guest and said with deep feeling:
"You shall not roll and go from this house as long as it suits you to stay. There is a man behind that peerless Titian beard, and I owe you more than I can ever repay."
"My whiskers is my fortune, sir," cheerily replied Mr. Wilkins, "and they are yours to command, even if you want to dye em bottle-green. And here is the last ruby of the lot, sir, all safe and sound. ”

“ What kind of a josh is this? I'm nothing but a stranded seafarin' man making his way cross country to Coveport in the hope of finding a berth aboard a coastin' vessel. Thanks, but I think your head-piece may need calkin'. ”