“He cotches the train jest as ‘twere startin’, an’ sails away in a fust-class carr’ge all to hissel’, wi’ the Commodore laid ’long the seat opposite; ‘for,’ said Sam, ’drat expense when a fun’ral’s goin’!’ An’ all the way he chuckles an’ grins to hissel’, to think o’ the start he’d gi’ed they Custom House rascals; an’ at las’ he gets that tickled he’s bound to lie back an’ fairly hurt hissel’ wi’ laffin’.

“I reckon, tho’, he laffed a bit too early; for jest then the train slowed down, and pulled up at a stashun.  Sam looked out an’ saw a dapper little man a-bustlin’ up an’ down the platform, like a bee in a bottle, an’ pryin’ into the carr’ge windeys same as ef the train were a peep-show.  Presently he opens the door of Sam’s compartment, an’ axes, holdin’ up a tellygram—­

“‘Be you the party as es travellin’ wi’ a dead man?’

“He spoke i’ Spanish, o’ cou’se, sir; but, not knowin’ the tongue, I tells et to you in English.”

“I had guessed that to be the reason,” replied Mr. Fogo.

“Well, Sam were a bit tuk aback, but he answers—­

“‘Iss, I be.  Why?’

“’Want ‘un berried?’

“‘Why, no, not partic’lar.  Sooner or later, o’ cou’se; but, thank’ee all the same, I’m thinkin’ to do et a bit furder on.’

“‘Then,’ says the dapper man, ’I’ll trouble you to hand over the berryin’ fees for this parish.’

“‘But I baint goin’ to berry deceased i’ this parish.’

“‘That don’t matter.  Ef a corpse has use o’ this parish, he’s got to pay fees.’

“‘How’s that?’

“‘Why, a corpse es dead,’ says the chap; ’you’ll allow that, I s’pose?’

“‘Iss,’ says Sam, ‘I reckon I’ll allow that.’

“‘An’ ef a corpse es i’ this parish, he’s dead i’ this parish?’

“‘Likely he es,’ admits Sam.

“’Well, ‘cordin’ to law, anybody dead i’ this parish es boun’ to be berried i’ this parish, an’ therefore to pay fees,’ says the man; ’and now I hopes you’ll hand over the money, ’cos the train’s waitin’.’

“Sam was for a raisin’ a rumpus, an’ gathered a crowd roun’ the door; but they all sided wi’ the dapper man, and said ‘twas Spaniards’ law, an’ ef he wudn’ pay, he must get out an’ berry the Commodore there an’ then.  So he gi’ed in and pulled out the money, an’ off they starts, the dapper man standin’ an’ bowin’ ’pon the platform.

“Well, Sam leant back an’ ciphered et out, an’ cudn’ see the sense o’t.  ‘But,’ says he, ’when you’m in Turkey you do as the Turkeys do, ‘cordin’ to the proverb, so I guess ‘tes all right; an’ ef et ’pears wrong, ‘tes on’y that I bain’t used to travellin’ wi’ corpses;’ an’ wi’ that he settles down an’ goes to sleep.

“He hadn’ been long sleepin’ when the train pulls up agen, an’ arter a minnit in comes anuther chap wi’ a tellygram.

“‘Deceased?’ axes the chap, pointin’ to the chest.

“‘Mod’rately,’ says Sam.