“We’ll try,” I said laughingly. “But what were you going to say just now?”
“I, sir? nothin’, sir.”
“Oh yes; when you broke off.”
“I broke off, sir?”
“Yes.”
“To be sure. Yes, sir, I was going to say what a lesson it is for you, sir, as a young orficer, not to go pickling and stealing other folkses’ boats. This here all comes o’ taking boats as don’t belong to you.”
“Better than sitting in another till she sinks, Tom Jecks.”
“Not so honest, sir.”
“Rubbish! We haven’t stolen the boat; only borrowed it.”
“Ah, that’s what them heathens don’t understand, sir; and I don’t know as I blames ’em, for it is rather hard for ’em to take hold on. S’pose, sir, as you was in London town, and a chap was to take your dymon’ ring—”