‘"Fair an’ softly,” says Nailor.  “Jock, whaur’s Lang Lammitter?”

’"Here,” says that man, putting his leg through the window and coming in like an anaconda o’ the desert furlong by furlong, one foot in Penang and one in Batavia, and a hand in North Borneo it may be.

‘"Are you suited?” said Nailor, when the hinder end o’ Lang Lammitter was slidden through the sill an’ the head of Lammitter was lost in the smoke away above.

’The American man took out his card and put it on the table.  “Esdras B. Longer is my name, America is my nation, ’Frisco is my resting-place, but this here beats Creation,” said he.  “Boys, giants—­side-show giants—­ I minded to slide out of my bet if I had been overtopped, on the strength of the riddle on this paste-board.  I would have done it if you had topped me even by three inches, but when it comes to feet—­yards—­ miles, I am not the man to shirk the biggest drink that ever made the travellers’-joy palm blush with virginal indignation, or the orang-outang and the perambulating dyak howl with envy.  Set them up and continue till the final conclusion.”

’O mon, I tell you ’twas an awful sight to see those four giants threshing about the house and the island, and tearin’ down the pillars thereof an’ throwing palm-trees broadcast, and currling their long legs round the hills o’ Larut.  An awfu’ sight!  I was there.  I did not mean to tell you, but it’s out now.  I was not overcome, for I e’en sat me down under the pieces o’ the table at four the morn an’ meditated upon the strangeness of things.

‘Losh, yon’s the breakfast-bell!’

REINGELDER AND THE GERMAN FLAG [Footnote:  Copyright, 1891, by MACMILLAN & CO.]

Hans Breitmann paddled across the deck in his pink pyjamas, a cup of tea in one hand and a cheroot in the other, when the steamer was sweltering down the coast on her way to Singapur.  He drank beer all day and all night, and played a game called ‘Scairt’ with three compatriots.

‘I haf washed,’ said he in a voice of thunder, ’but dere is no use washing on these hell-seas.  Look at me—­I am still all wet and schweatin’.  It is der tea dot makes me so.  Boy, bring me Bilsener on ice.’

‘You will die if you drink beer before breakfast,’ said one man.  ’Beer is the worst thing in the world for—­’

’Ya, I know—­der liver.  I haf no liver, und I shall not die.  At least I will not die obon dese benny sdeamers dot haf no beer fit to trink.  If I should haf died, I will haf don so a hoondert dimes before now—­in Shermany, in New York, in Japon, in Assam, und all over der inside bans of South Amerique.  Also in Shamaica should I hat died or in Siam, but I am here; und der are my orchits dot I have drafelled all the vorld round to find.’

He pointed towards the wheel, where, in two rough wooden boxes, lay a mass of shrivelled vegetation, supposed by all the ship to represent Assam orchids of fabulous value.