her go to Calcutta any time than
go to Orleans; more vessels lost on the coast than are lost anywhere
else on the four seas."

"You don't say so!" said Lollypops.

"Fact, sir," said Brace, who occasionally kept exchanging private and
mysterious signals with the second officer, who held the wheel.

"Let her up a point, Mr. Brown, let her up!" Mr. Brown did let her up,
and the way the Triton took head down and heels up and a roll to
windward, did not speak so well for the nautical _menage_ of the
officers as it did for the quiet deviltry of the salt-water Joe Millers.
The avalanche of brine inundated the decks, making the sailors look
quite asquirt, and driving Mr. Lollypops, an ancient voyager or two, and
sundry other travelling gentry--very suddenly into the cabin. The next
day the same performance followed; the appearance of Lollypops on deck
was a signal for Brace or Brown, to go in, get up a double _roll_ on the
ship, an imaginary gale was discussed, wrecks and reefs, dangerous
points and dreadful currents were descanted upon, until Mr. Lollypops'
health, at the end of the first week, was no better fast; in fact, he
was getting sick of the voyage, while others around grew fat upon it. A
fine morning induced the invalid to light his regalia and walk the
decks; immediately Mr. Brace, or Brown, gave orders to wash down the
decks. Mr. Lollypops went aloft, _ergo_, as far as the main top;
immediately the first officer had the men "going about," heaving here
and letting go there; in short, so endangering the hat and underpinning
of the be-whiskered landlord of the "first-class hotel" that he was fain
to crawl down, take the wet decks, tip-toe, and crawl into the cabin,
damp as a dishcloth, and utterly disgusted with what he had seen of the
sea! Accidentally, one afternoon, a tar pot fell from aloft; somehow or
other, the careless sailor who held it, or should have held it--"let go
all" just when Mr. Lollypops was in the immediate neighborhood; the
result was that he had a splendid dressing-gown and other
equipments--ruined eternally! Going into the cabin, Lollypops inquires
for the Captain--

"Sir!" says he, "I am mad, Sir, very mad, Sir; yes, I am, Sir; look at
me, only look at me! In rough weather we do not expect pleasant times at
sea, but, Sir, ever since I have been on board, Sir, your infernal
officers, Sir, have thrown this ship into all manner of unpleasant
situations, kept the decks wet, rattled chains over my