“That’s odd, isn’t it?—and the more so, because he has had such great people down here, and has been giving large parties every day.”
“And yet I made three seizures, besides sweeping up those thirty-seven tubs.”
“I swept them up,” observed Smith.
“That’s all the same thing, younker. When you’ve been a little longer in the service, you’ll find out that the commanding officer has the merit of all that is done; but you’re green yet. Let me see, where was I? Oh!—It was about ninety-three or ninety-four, as I said. At that time I was in the Channel fleet—Tomkins, I’ll trouble you for the hot water; this water’s cold. Mr Smith, do me the favour to ring the bell.—Jem, some more hot water.”
“Please, sir,” said Jem, who was bare-footed as well as bare-headed, touching his lock of hair on his forehead, “the cook had capsized the kettle—but he has put more on.”
“Capsized the kettle! Hah!—very well—we’ll talk about that to-morrow. Mr Tomkins, do me the favour to put him in the report: I may forget it. And pray, sir, how long is it since he has put more on?”
“Just this moment, sir, as I came aft.”
“Very well, we’ll see to that to-morrow. You bring the kettle aft as soon as it is ready. I say, Mr Jem, is that fellow sober?”
“Yees, sir, he be sober as you be.”
“It’s quite astonishing what a propensity the common sailors have to liquor. Forty odd years have I been in the service, and I’ve never found any difference. I only wish I had a guinea for every time that I have given a fellow seven-water grog during my servitude as first-lieutenant, I wouldn’t call the king my cousin. Well, if there’s no hot water, we must take lukewarm; it won’t do to heave-to. By the Lord Harry! Who would have thought it?—I’m at number sixteen! Let me count, yes!—surely I must have made a mistake. A fact, by Heaven!” continued Mr Appleboy, throwing the chalk down on the table. “Only one more glass, after this; that is, if I have counted right—I may have seen double.”