“Vas hall your money right, Mr Biggs?” inquired the purser’s steward.
“I didn’t count,” replied the boatswain magnificently.
“No—gentlemen are above that,” replied Easthupp; “but there are many light-fingered gentry habout. The quantity of vatches and harticles of value vich were lost ven I valked Bond Street in former times is incredible.”
“I can say this, at all events,” replied the boatswain, “that I should be always ready to give satisfaction to any person beneath me in rank, after I had insulted him. I don’t stand upon my rank, although I don’t talk about equality, damme—no, nor consort with niggers.” All this was too plain for our hero not to understand, so Jack walked up to the boatswain, and taking his hat off, with the utmost politeness, said to him:
“If I mistake not, Mr Biggs, your conversation refers to me.”
“Very likely it does,” replied the boatswain. “Listeners hear no good of themselves.”
“It appears that gentlemen can’t converse without being vatched,” continued Mr Easthupp, pulling up his shirt-collar.
“It is not the first time that you have thought proper to make very offensive remarks, Mr Biggs; and as you appear to consider yourself ill-treated in the affair of the trousers, for I tell you at once, that it was I who brought them on board, I can only say,” continued our hero, with a very polite bow, “that I shall be most happy to give you satisfaction.”
“I am your superior officer, Mr Easy,” replied the boatswain.
“Yes, by the rules of the service; but you just now asserted that you would waive your rank—indeed, I dispute it on this occasion; I am on the quarter-deck, and you are not.”