-Is it rum, brandy, or Hollands?" inquired
Roupall, who could see no more value in the timbers of the Fire-fly than
in those of any other ship that carried a good cargo. Springall's
enthusiasm was wasted on him; but it was followed by a reply from the
hot-headed lad that would have led to more than words, if another of the
party had not interfered.

"For shame, Spring, to be so fiery! Sure you know of old, that Jack will
have his joke, and means no harm. Besides, he's only a land-lubber,
after all."

"Well, pepper away, brave boys! pepper away! I'll have my revenge on you
all yet!" continued the trooper.

"You won't inform, will you?" exclaimed Springall, ever ready for a
fray, pushing his beardless face close to the weather-beaten countenance
of sturdy Roupall.

"Will you keep your face out of my mouth?" replied the man-mountain,
stretching his jaws at the same time, and displaying a double row of the
most enormous teeth, and a gulf which really looked as if it could
contain the animated countenance of the young sailor, who, as easily
moved to mirth as anger, burst into a merry laugh at the prospect before
him.

"There, boy," said the Goliath, "take it easy, and talk reason about the
ship, and talk the reason reasonably, and I'll join ye; but Spring has a
dash o' poetry about him--I think it's called poetry:--verse-making and
verse-thinking, that never did anything in the way of ship-building or
ship-saving since the world was a world, that I know. Now look, lads;
here's a man-a-war, a heavy, sluggish thing, whose guns could take no
effect on the Fire-fly, because their shot would go right over her, and
only anger the waters. Her long boats, to be sure, could do the
business; but she has no more than two and the captain's gig a-board--as
I heard this morning at Queenborough. The evening is closing, and
neither of the other ships--whose slovenly rigging wants Blake's
dressing--hae any guns a-board to signify."

"Ay," said another, "so much for our near neighbours: what say you to
our farther ones, at t'other side the island--just at the entrance to
the Mersey?"

"Say!" said Springall, "why, that they could be round in less than no
time if they knew who's who."

"Which they do by this: what else would bring the steel caps, and the
Devil himself amongst us? besides, there's others off the coast, as well
as we. Do you think old red-nosed Noll would come here about a drop of
blood--a little murder, that could be