"Strike me cruel!" exclaimed the Oysterman. "Did you ever know the Oysterman bungle a job?"
"No: but you're a precious long time over this one. I'd strangle the pair of them before I'd be done by them."
"And so will I, before I'm done by them. I don't want you to tell me how to do my work."
"How much longer are we to wait here?"
"Mates and gentlemen," said the Oysterman, speaking very slowly, "it is my pleasing duty to inform you, as we say in Parliament, and notwithstanding the insinuations thrown out by my honourable friend and mate, Jim Pizey, Esquire, that I think we may look upon the job as pretty well done."
"Stop your palaver and tell us all about it," observed Jim Pizey.
"Well, then, mates and gentlemen," said the Oysterman--
"We've had enough of that infernal nonsense," interrupted Jim Pizey, angrily. "Can't you speak straightforward?"
"Strike me patient!" exclaimed the Oysterman, "Let a cove speak according to his education, can't you! I'll tell the story my own way, or I won't tell it at all."
"Go on, then," growled Pizey.