“Try again,” I said.
“Ay, ay, sir; I’ll try again, o’ course.”
“I say, don’t kneel on a man’s chesty like that, messmate,” grumbled Dumlow.
“Then why don’t you put your chesty somewheres else?” growled Bob. “You’re allers lying about all over the deck.”
“Nay, I arn’t, matey,” remonstrated Dumlow. “Speak the truth, my lad, if you can.”
“Why, you’re spreadin’ about on your back now, arn’t yer?”
“Course I am, mate; I was trying how flat I could make myself ’fore I started on the adwenter.”
“Try, pray try the other way, Bob, and don’t quarrel so—”
“Now hark at that, Barney, when I’m trying all I can to be as civil and smooth as butter, on’y Neb let out at me.”
There was a pause, and we could hear Bob grunting as he felt about in the other direction, sending joy into all our hearts directly, just as the tapping began again.