"
By this we had returned in front of the house, and as we ascended the
front stairs, we again heard a loud racketing within; but blackie's
voice was now wanting in the row, wherein the Spaniard and our friend
appeared to be the dramatis personae--and sure enough there was Don
Ricardo and Bang at it, tooth and nail.
"Allow me to assist you," quoth the Don.
"Oh no--mucho--mucho," quoth Bang, who was spinning round and round in
his shirt on one leg, trying to thrust his foot into his trowsers; but
the garment was impervious; and after emulating Noblet in a pirouette,
he sat down in despair. We appeared--"Ah, Transom, glad to see you
some evil spirit has bewitched me, I believe--overnight I was stung to
death by a scorpion--half an hour ago I was deluged by an invisible
spirit--and just now when I got up, and began to pull on my stockings,
Lord! a land crab was in the toe part, and see how he has scarified me"
forking up his peg--"I then tried my trowsers," he continued in a most
doleful tone--"and lo! the legs are sealed. And look at my face, saw
you ever such an unfortunate? But the devil take you, Transom, I see
through your tricks now, and will pay you off for this yet, take my word
for it."
The truth is, that our amigo Aaron had gotten an awful fright on his
first awakening after his cold bath, for he had given the poor black
fellow an ugly blow upon the face, before he had gathered his senses
well about him, and the next moment seeing the blood streaming from his
nose, and mixing with the custard--like pulp of the fruit with which his
face was plastered, he took it into his noodle that he had knocked the
man's brains out.
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