“Quite impossible, sir,” continued the first-lieutenant, “to carry on the duty without support.”
This oracular observation, which, from the relative forms of the two parties, descended as it were from above, was replied to by the captain with a “Very true.”
“Then, sir, I presume you will not object to my putting that man in the report for punishment?”
“I’ll think about it, Mr Markitall.” This, with Captain Plumbton, was as much as to say, No.
“The young gentlemen, sir, I am sorry to say, are very troublesome.”
“Boys always are,” replied the captain.
“Yes sir: but the duty must be carried on, and I cannot do without them.”
“Very true—midshipmen are very useful.”
“But I am sorry to say, sir, that they are not. Now sir, there’s Mr Templemore; I can do nothing with him—he does nothing but laugh.”
“Laugh!—Mr Markitall, does he laugh at you?”