The captain looked at him, glanced down at his pocket saw the "snake"
had gone, but thumping it once or twice to make sure turned upon Faith,
his face red and puckered, yet with a gleam of fun in his eye that
detracted from the fierceness of his mien.
"You little greenhorn! Have you been buying a nasty monkey?" he
thundered.
"Oh, papa! I'm sorry if you're not pleased. I thought, now poor Hafiz
is dead--and Hope has Texas--oh see, see! Ha, ha! I _must_ laugh.
Isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw?"
For the shriveled witch, taking in the whole scene, had drawn himself
up as nearly like the captain as possible and with one wee fist doubled
up, was thumping his own little hams, an exact imitation of the man's
gesture. In spite of himself, Captain Hosmer burst into laughter, Hope
fairly rolled, and Faith, relieved and delighted, let the merry peals
ring out, till Tegeloo, busy with some duty just outside, shook his
little fat sides, and showed all his ivories in sympathy.
Faith and her pet had won the day, and when her father broke out,
"Where did you get such a Handy-Andy?" she cried quickly,
"There, you've named him, father, you've named him! I have been
wondering what to call him, and that's just the thing. Handy-Andy he
shall be."
And Handy-Andy he was, but this soon became shortened to Andy alone,
and by that name we will speak of his monkeyship in future.
[1] Vale of Monkeys.
[2] Egyptian peasant.
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