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Show 80 PERSONAL ADVENTURES ' Captain N , who had put up there for the night. Mr. Livermore being at home, supper was served up for the entire party, "Black .Jack" included. The latter was unusually polite, and paid great attention to the wants of the rnen, over whom he had so lately delighted to tyrannise. " I was determined," said Stevenson, "to be as rude to him as possible, for I hate him from the very bottom of my heart; so I sat down to supper, without ever washing my hands or taking off my 'sou' _,vester ;' but the captain seemed determined not to take any notice of anything we n1ight say or do, for. he felt that he was in awkward hands, and ha~ best keep quiet. l-Ie must have been devilishly annoyed though, for he is so very particular, and so confoundedly aristocratic. When he lay down on the floor in his serapa, I stretched myself alongside of hitn, and snored and snorted at such a rate, that I'll be bound he had very little sleep. . He ,vas going to the mines, but turned back, as I heard, fro!f! a very natural apprehension that had been IN CALIFORNIA. 81 gro,ving upon him, that it would not be safe for him to venture amongst the miners, who all kn~nv him well, and wouldn't think it much of a sin to put him out- of the way, with a dig of a bowie-knife, or a few slugs. You know he came up to Pueblo for the purpose of trading, or he'd never have ventured so far." " What sort of business was he engaged in up there?" ''Shortly after the volunteers were disbanded, he bought up a large quantity of sa.ilors' clothing and Government stores that had been condemned as unfit for use, and conveyed ~hem to Pueblo; but I don't think he made much on the lot, for they were all sold by auction. But if it's a fact that the devil takes care of his own, 'Black Jack' is sure to make money somehow or other." When we reached San Jose, determined to have a comfortable supper, if possible, and a good supply of provender for my horse, we entered a trading store in the mission, which was kept by a Yankee ; and learning from him E5 |