og and that bottle of
porter private property?"

"They are my property. I do not offer them to you, because I would not
that you thought that I was aping magnanimity. For the respect that I
shall always owe to an old sailor, I say to you frankly, that, if your
feelings are sufficiently amicable towards me to take it, take it, and
with it a welcome and a wish that it may do you much good--but, if your
blood is still evil towards me, for the sake of your own integrity you
would reject it, though you starved."

"Rattlin, I break bread with you as a friend. I am confoundedly sorry
that I have been prejudiced against you--and there's my hand upon it."

I shook hands with him heartily, and said: "Pigtop, I cannot regret that
I did my best to repel your insult, but I sincerely regret its
consequences. Henceforward, you shall insult me twice, before I lift my
hand against you once."

"I will never insult you again. I will be your fast friend, and perhaps
I may have the means of proving it."

It now became my turn to be astonished. Instead of seeing the hungry
oldster fall-to, like a ravenous dog, he broke off a small corner from
the bread, ate it, and was in the act of retiring, when I hailed him.

"Halloa!--Pigtop--what's in the wind now? My friend, you do but little
honour to my cheer, and I am sure that you must want it."

"No, no," said Pigtop, with much feeling--"you shall never suppose that
the old sailor sold the birthright of his honour for a mess of pottage."

"Well felt and well said, by all that's upright! But, nevertheless, you
shall drink this bottle of porter, and eat this bread and butter--and so
I'll e'en cut it up into very excellent rounds. You sha'n't accept my
friendship without accepting my fare. I like your spirit so well,
Pigtop, that for your sake I will never judge of a man again, until I
have thrashed him soundly."

To the surprise of my messmates, when they assembled punctually to the
feast of mutton, they discovered me and old Pigtop, hand in hand across
the table, discussing another bottle of porter.

CHAPTER SIXTY ONE.

RALPH IS PLACED IN AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT BEING PUT UPON HIS TRIAL TO
PROVE HIS IDENTITY, AND HAVING NO WITNESSES TO CALL BUT HIMSELF--ALL
VOICES AGAINST HIM BUT HIS OWN.

At this period, every day, nay, almost every hour, seemed to bring its
startling event. Ere good digestion had followed our very good
appetites, bustle and agitation pervaded the whole