“Massa Aaron was down on me like lightning”
“Or the stern of a kicking horse, Tom.”
While I continued—
‘Or you a wet jacket may catch, and a dip.’
He again cleverly clipped the word out of my mouth,
“Or a kick on the croup, which is worse, Tom.”
“Why, my dear sir, you are an improvisatore of the first quality.”
We rowed ashore, and nothing particular happened that day, until we sat down to dinner at Mr S—‘s. We had a very agreeable party. Captain Transom and Mr Bang were, as usual, the life of the company; and it was verging towards eight o’clock in the evening, when an English sailor, apparently belonging to the merchant service, came into the piazza, and planted himself opposite to the window where I sat.
He made various nautical salaams, until he had attracted my attention. “Excuse me,” I said to Mr S——, “there is some one in the piazza wanting me.” I rose.
“Are you Captain Transom?” said the man.