I would not lift a finger to save him from 'ell Miss, and that's a fact!" "Then that is a promise, Mr.Johnnie ?" said Augusta, sweetly ignoring the garnishing with which the promise was adorned; and on Mr.Johnnie stating that he looked at it in that light, she returned to Mr.Meeson.
On her way she met Bill, carrying in his hands a loathsome-looking fish, with long feelers and a head like a parrot, in short, a cuttle-fish.
"Now, here's luck, Miss," said Bill, exultingly; "I saw this gentleman lying down on the beach there this morning.

He's a cuttle, that's what he is; and I'll have his ink-bag out of him in a brace of shakes; just the ticket for tattooing, Miss, as good as the best Indian-ink--gunpowder is a fool to it." By this time they had reached Mr.Meeson, and here the whole matter, including Johnnie's obstinate refusal to be tattooed was explained to Bill.
"Well," said Augusta at length, "it seems that's the only thing to be done; but the question is, how to do it?
I can only suggest, Mr.Meeson, that the will should be tattooed on you." "Oh!" said Mr.Meeson, feebly, "on me! Me tattooed like a savage--tattooed with my own will!" "It wouldn't be much use, either, governor, begging your pardon," said Bill, "that is, if you are agoing to croak, as you say; 'cause where would the will be then?
We might skin you with a sharp stone, perhaps, after you've done the trick, you know," he added reflectively.

"But then we have no salt, so I doubt if you'd keep; and if we set your hide in the sun, I reckon the writing would shrivel up so that all the courts of law in London could not make head or tail of it." Mr.Meeson groaned loudly, as well he might.

These frank remarks would have been trying to any man; much more were they so to this opulent merchant prince, who had always set the highest value on what Bill rudely called his "hide." "There's the infant," went on Bill, meditatively.

"He's young and white, and I fancy his top-crust would work wonderful easy; but you'd have to hold him, for I expect that he'd yell proper." "Yes," said Mr.Meeson; "let the will be tattooed upon the child.