boat have you come out in this time, my
son; and one well tilled with a noble set of my children. How long might
it be since you left the land?"

"Some eight days ago."

"Hardly time enough to give the green ones the use of their sea legs. I
shall be able to find them, by the manner in which they hold on in a
calm." [Here the General, who was standing with a scornful and averted
eye, let go his hold of a mizzen-shroud, which he had grasped for no other
visible reason than to render his person utterly immoveable; Neptune
smiled, and continued.] "I sha'n't ask concerning the port you are last
from, seeing that the Newport soundings are still hanging about the flukes
of your anchors. I hope you haven't brought out many fresh hands with you,
for I smell the stock-fish aboard a Baltic-man, who is coming down with
the trades, and who can't be more than a hundred leagues from this; I
shall therefore have but little time to overhaul your people, in order to
give them their papers."

"You see them all before you. So skilful a mariner as Neptune needs no
advice when or how to tell a seaman."

"I shall then begin with this gentleman," continued the waggish head of
the forecastle, turning towards the still motionless chief of the marines.
"There is a strong look of the land about him; and I should like to know
how many hours it is since he first floated over blue water."

"I believe he has made many voyages; and I dare say has long since paid
the proper tribute to your Majesty."

"Well, well; the thing is like enough, tho'f I will say I have known
scholars make better use of their time, if he has been so long on the
water as you pretend. How is it with these ladies?"

"Both have been at sea before, and have a right to pass without a
question," resumed Wilder, a little hastily.

"The youngest is comely enough to have been born in my dominions," said
the gallant Sovereign of the Sea; "but no one can refuse to answer a hail
that comes straight from the mouth of Old Neptune; so, if it makes no
great difference in your Honour's reckoning, I will just beg the young
woman to do her own talking." Then, without paying the least attention to
the angry glance that shot from the eye of Wilder, the sturdy
representative of the God addressed himself directly to Gertrude. "If, as
report goes of you, my pretty damsel, you have seen blue water before this
passage, you may be able to recollect the name of the vessel, and some
other small pa