“Ever hear me relate an incident of the last war?” said he, as he seated himself, and placed his two bottles upon the side-table.

“Never,” replied Edward.

“Well, Butler was our captain, and a regular man he; right up and down good fellow,—­better man never held sword or gave an order.  Well, we were quartered at-I don’t remember where-history tells.  We led a lazy life; no red coats to fire at.  One of the men came home, one night, three sheets in the wind, and the fourth bound round his head; awful patriotic was he, and made a noise, and swore he’d shoot every man for the good of his country.  Well, Captain Butler heard of it, and the next day all hands were called.  We formed a ring; Simon Twigg, he who was drunk the day before, stood within it, and then and there Captain Butler, who belonged to the Humane Society, and never ordered a man to be flogged, lectured him half an hour.  Well, that lecture did Mr. Dago Pump immense good, and ever since I have n’t drank anything stronger than brandy.

“Never a man died of brandy!” said Mr. Pump, with much emphasis.  “Brandy’s the word!” and, without saying more, he produced a cork-screw, and with it opened a bottle.

A couple of glasses soon made their appearance.  “Now, you will take a glass with me,” said Dago; “it is the pure Cogniac, quality one, letter A.”

“Drink, now,” said he, pushing a glass towards him.  “Wine is used by the temperance society.  They’ll use brandy soon.  Ah, they can’t do without their wine, and we can’t do without our brandy!  They want to bind us in a free country, what my father bled and almost died for,—­ bind us to drink cold water!” said Mr. Pump, sneeringly.  “Let ’em try it!  I go for freedom of the press,—­universal, everlasting, unbounded freedom!”

When this patriotic bubble had exploded and the mist cleared away, he sang a bacchanalian song, which he wished every free man in the world would commit to memory.  “What is the difference,” said he, “between this and wine?  Neither will hurt a man; it is your rum-drinking, gin-guzzling topers that are harmed;—­anything will harm them.  Who ever heard of a genteel wine or brandy drinker becoming a pest to society?  Who ever heard of such an one rolling in the mire?  No; such men are able to take care of themselves.  Away with the pledge!”

“Perhaps you are right,” replied Edward; “yet we should be careful.  Although all around me drink, I have until this moment abstained from the use of brandy; but now, at your request, I partake of it.  Remember, if I, by this act, am led into habits of intemperance, if I meet a drunkard’s grave, the blame will rest upon you.”

“Ha, ha, ha!  Well done!  So be it!  I’ll shoulder the blame, if a respectable man like you falls by brandy.”

Edward drank the contents of a glass, and, placing it upon the table, said “We must be careful!”