I had to do some mighty fine wire-pulling.

For one of those stones I would give half of all I own.

To see them in the possession of another man would be a supreme test to my honesty." "You old pirate!" said Burlingame.
"But why the word jeopardy ?" persisted Kitty, who was intrigued by the phrase.
"Probably some Hindu trick.

It is a language of flowery metaphors.

It means, I suppose, that when you touch the drums they bite.