You savvy ?" The gins grinned uncomprehendingly, but held out their pannikins, and into each he poured a three-finger nip of raw overproof rum that would have burnt the palate of Satan himself.

They swallowed it neat, in two or three quick gulps.

The tears sprang to their eyes, and they contorted their faces into all sorts of shapes; but they disdained to take water after it.
"My word, that strong feller, eh ?" said Considine.

"Burn your mouth, I think it.

Now then, Ah Loy, how much you wantee?
That plenty, eh ?" Ah Loy peered into the tin pannikin with a dejected air, and turned it on one side to show that there wasn't much in it.
"Here y'are, then," said his boss.