“You deserve good feed,” said the Prince, laughing. “This has been a big expedition we undertook. I was figuring it up before we sailed; and I found we had made twenty-eight hundred pounds, besides the value of the Dangers.”
“Besides what?” demanded Mrs. Frisbone.
“The Dangers. Don’t you know the name of the steamer you sail in, the Yankee ship with the Yankee crew?” answered the Prince, who pronounced French as it was written, in spite of the frequent admonitions of his educated wife.
“The Ville d’Angers,” added the lady, pronouncing correctly the name of the steamer.
“I should have to have my tongue split like a crow, before I could say that; and I don’t mean to try. The Dangers suits me better,” retorted the Prince good-naturedly. “We were in a good many dangers while we were in her at first; and that’s the best name in the world for her. I was saying I had twenty-eight hundred pounds, besides the Dangers, all made out of this cruise to the nor’ard; and, as the young gentlemen have done all the work, I was determined that they should live like fighting-cocks while I had any thing to do with them.”
“Thank you, Mr. Frisbone,” added O’Hara. “I think we are all in condition to appreciate good living. What are you going to do with this steamer after you have returned us all to the vessels of the squadron?”
“That will be for the principal to say. The steamer belongs to him, and not to me; for it was one of his squadron that picked her up,” replied the Prince. “I think he had better use her as one of the vessels of his fleet, and sell out his sailing-vessels. It won’t be many years before sails, except with steam, will go out of fashion.”
“She will accommodate as many as the two schooners, after she has been fitted up for the purpose,” continued the captain. “She is nearly as fast as the Prince; and, if we had been in her when we left Gibraltar, we should have sailed with her.”
“Upon my word, I should have liked to be a student in such a vessel when I was a youngster,” said Sir Philip Grayner, who sat at the table about opposite the state-room of Gregory.
“You are not much more than a youngster now,” added the Prince, laughing at the cool way of the baronet.