He nodded his head up and down three times, as if perfectly, but unwillingly, resigned. I felt smaller by degrees.
"All right, admiral," he said suddenly. "By all manner o' means. Won't I make them proud at home when I tell them that the young runaway is the admiral of the Naniwa—what's that mean? In Ireland 'Nanny' is an old nurse—and she here is your wet-nurse, bedad! Oh, it's grand entirely, your honour!"
This affectation of manner puzzled me. The captain was "putting on" this, I perceived.
"If you object, sir," I began.
"Is it me object! Not at all! Go and leave your ship—she's left ye—and your friends. What for?" he asked suddenly and almost fiercely. "What d'ye want to do?"
"To serve in the Japanese navy," I said, "as a volunteer, and see some service for a while. The captain here has told his nephew, who asked me to tell you too."
"The dog began to bite the pig, the pig began to go, and the old woman (that's me) begins to get over the stile. I see! Well, do as ye like, Julius, my boy, I'll not stop ye."
"Really? Oh, you are kind, captain! Still, if you order me"—
"Ah! go on! Ye won't stay long I expect. But if ye do it will do ye good. I don't understand why the captain of the ship has made ye the offer, but as he has, and ye are already dressed up in Japanese clothes, maybe he wants to see whether ye're worth your salt! All right, Admiral Julius, 'Go where Glory waits ye,' as Tommy Moore says, and 'when Fame elates thee, then remember me,' that's all. Here's the lieutenant."
The officer came in, we saluted, and the captain accepted the polite invitation to breakfast by and by, and the lieutenant retired.