"Depend upon me, my boy."
"I will, and do."
"I'll be off and see the fellow at once."
The admiral bustled out of the room, and in a few moments Charles heard him calling loudly,—
"Jack—Jack Pringle, you lubber, where are you?—Jack Pringle, I say."
"Ay, ay, sir," said Jack, emerging from the kitchen, where he had been making himself generally useful in assisting Mrs. Bannerworth, there being no servant in the house, to cook some dinner for the family.
"Come on, you rascal, we are going for a walk."
"The rations will be served out soon," growled Jack.
"We shall be back in time, you cormorant, never fear. You are always thinking of eating and drinking, you are, Jack; and I'll be hanged if I think you ever think of anything else. Come on, will you; I'm going on rather a particular cruise just now, so mind what you are about."
"Aye, aye, sir," said the tar, and these two originals, who so perfectly understood each other, walked away, conversing as they went, and their different voices coming upon the ear of Charles, until distance obliterated all impression of the sound.