s
only to show _himself_ to show a paddy."

"But this is a sort of an image of some kind or other, Sir Gervaise, and
yet it isn't Mr. Daly. I rather think he hasn't the flags necessary for
our words, and has rigged out a sort of a woman, to let us know his
ship's name; for she _has_ a woman figure-head, you know, sir."

"The devil he has! Well, that will form an era in signals. Galleygo,
look out at the cabin window and let me know if you can see the prize
from them--well, sir, what's the news?"

"I sees her, Sir Jarvy," answered the steward, "and I sees her where no
French ship as sails in company with British vessels has a right to be.
If she's a fathom, your honour, she's fifty to windward of our line!
Quite out of her place, as a body might say, and onreasonable."

"That's owing to our having felled the forests of her masts, Mr.
Galleygo; every spar that is left helping to put her where she is. That
prize must be a weatherly ship, though, hey! Greenly? She and her
consort were well to windward of their own line, or we could never have
got 'em as we did. These Frenchmen _do_ turn off a weatherly vessel now
and then, that we must all admit."

"Yes, Sir Jarvy," put in Galleygo, who never let the conversation flag
when he was invited to take a part in it; "yes, Sir Jarvy, and when
they've turned 'em off the stocks they turns 'em over to us, commonly,
to sail 'em. Building a craft is one piece of knowledge, and sailing her
_well_ is another."

"Enough of your philosophy, sirrah; look and ascertain if there is any
thing unusual to be seen hanging in the rigging of the prize. Unless you
show more readiness, I'll send one of the Bowlderos to help you."

These Bowlderos were the servants that Sir Gervaise brought with him
from his house, having been born on his estate, and educated as
domestics in his own, or his father's family; and though long accustomed
to a man-of-war, as their ambition never rose above their ordinary
service, the steward held them exceedingly cheap. A severer punishment
could not be offered him, than to threaten to direct one of these common
menials to do any duty that, in the least, pertained to the profession.
The present menace had the desired effect, Galleygo losing no time in
critically examining the prize's rigging.

"I calls nothing extr'ornary in a Frenchman's rigging, Sir Jarvy,"
answered the steward, as soon as he felt sure of his fact; "their
dock-men have idees of their own, as to s