“For you see,” quoth Captain Jorgan, touching the last head, “it requires caution any way, great joys being as dangerous as great griefs, if not more dangerous, as being more uncommon (and therefore less provided against) in this round world of ours. And besides, I should like to free my name with the ladies, and take you home again at your brightest and luckiest; so don’t let’s throw away a chance of success.”
The captain was highly lauded by the brothers for his kind interest and foresight.
“And now stop!” said the captain, coming to a standstill, and looking from one brother to the other, with quite a new rigging of wrinkles about each eye; “you are of opinion,” to the elder, “that you are ra’ather slow?”
“I assure you I am very slow,” said the honest Hugh.
“Wa’al,” replied the captain, “I assure you that to the best of my belief I am ra’ather smart. Now a slow man ain’t good at quick business, is he?”
That was clear to both.
“You,” said the captain, turning to the younger brother, “are a little in love; ain’t you?”
“Not a little, Captain Jorgan.”
“Much or little, you’re sort preoccupied; ain’t you?”
It was impossible to be denied.