s while the _Scandal_ was heeling over in a stiff breeze, and
permitting the wash of the sea to run over him till he was drenched to
the skin. Indeed, although his long lean body looked frail, he was
reckless in the way in which he treated it. Posh tells one story which I
give in his words. He vouches for its truth, and I give it on his
authority and not as vouching for its accuracy myself. Personally I
believe the tale is true enough, but I admit that it requires a power of
assimilation which is not given to all.

"He! he!" says Posh. "He was a rum un sometimes, was my guv'nor! I
remember one day when the _Scandal_ was a layin' agin' the wharf where
the trawl market is now. Mr. Sims Reeves, the lawyer [this was a
prominent counsel on the Norwich circuit, not the famous tenor], and
some other friends came over for a sail, and they and Tom [Newson] was
below while me and Jack and the guv'nor was on deck, astarn. The
mains'l was h'isted, but there wasn't no heads'l on her, and we lay
theer riddy to get unner way. There was a fresh o' wind blowin' from
the eastard, not wery stiddy, and as we lay theer the boom kep' a
wamblin' and a jerkin' from side to side, a wrenchin' the mainsheet
block a rum un. The guv'nor was a readin' of a letter as had just
been brought down by the poost. 'Posh,' he say, 'here's a letter with
some money I niver expected to git,' he say. 'That's a good job,'
when just then the boom come over wallop and caught him fair on the
side of his hid, and knocked him oover into the harbour like one
o'clock. He was a wearin' of his topper same as us'al, and all of a
sudden up he come agin just as Jack an' me was raychin' oover arter
him. His topper come up aisy like, as though 'twas a life-buoy if I
may say soo, and unnerneath it come the fur boa, and then the guv'nor.
And as true as I set here he was still a holdin' that letter out in
front of him in both hands. Well, I couldn't help it. I bust out a
laughin', and soo did Jack an' all, and then we rayched down and
copped hold on him and h'isted him aboord all right and tight, but as
wet as a soused harrin'. He come up a laughin', playsed as Punch, an'
give orders to cast off and git up headsail ta oncet. And would yew
believe me, he wouldn't goo below ta shift afore we got right out to
the Corton light, though Mr. Reeves axed him tew time and time agin!
Not he