If he had not enough for his week's board
and lodging, he borrowed it, chiefly of Jowett, who used him profitably
at times to pass the word about a horse, or bring news of a possible
deal.
"It's a penitentiary job, Jowett," Ingolby repeated. "I didn't think
Marchand would be so mad as that."
"Say, it's all straight enough, Chief," answered Jowett, sucking his
unlighted cigar. "Osterhaut got wind of it--he's staying at old Mother
Thibadeau's, as you know. He moves round a lot, and he put me on to it. I
took on the job at once. I got in with the French toughs over at Manitou,
at Barbazon's Tavern, and I gave them gin--we made it a gin night. It
struck their fancy--gin, all gin! 'Course there's nothing in gin
different from any other spirit; but it fixed their minds, and took away
suspicion.
"I got drunk--oh, yes, of course, blind drunk, didn't I? Kissed me, half
a dozen of the Quebec boys did--said I was 'bully boy' and 'hell-fellow';
said I was 'bon enfant'; and I said likewise in my best patois. They
liked that. I've got a pretty good stock of monkey-French, and I let it
go. They laughed till they cried at some of my mistakes, but they weren't
no mistakes, not on your life. It was all done a-purpose. They said I was
the only man from Lebanon they wouldn't have cut up and boiled, and they
was going to have the blood of the Lebanon lot before they'd done.
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