“I don’t know about corrupting, Tom,” said the captain, smiling, “but he certainly does seem to be putting some queer things into his head.”
“So it seems. Teaches him to drink the King’s health in water.”
“No, he didn’t, uncle,” said the boy, cracking another walnut.
“Yes, he did, sir. How dare you contradict me! Confound you, sir, if I had you aboard ship I’d mast-head you.”
“No, you wouldn’t, uncle,” said the boy, dipping a piece of freshly-peeled walnut in the salt and crunching it between his teeth.
“What, sir?”
“I say you would not,” replied the boy.
“And pray why, you young dog?”
“Because you’d know father wouldn’t like it.”
Captain Belton laughed and sipped his port, and the admiral blew out his cheeks.