Carroway more than fifty broadsides. Truly he loved
fighting; but the boldest sailor bears away at prospect of an action at
law. Popplewell saw this, and stuck to his advantage, and vowed, until
bed-time, satisfaction he would have; and never lost the sight of it
until he fell asleep.

Even now it was in his mind, as Carroway could see; his eyebrows meant
it, and his very surly nod, and the way in which he put his hands far
down into his pockets. The poor lieutenant, being well aware that zeal
had exceeded duty (without the golden amnesty of success), and finding
out that Popplewell was rich and had no children, did his very best to
look with real pleasure at him, and try to raise a loftier feeling in
his breast than damages. But the tanner only frowned, and squared his
elbows, and stuck his knuckles sharply out of both his breeches pockets.
And Mrs. Popplewell, like a fat and most kind-hearted lady, stared at
the officer as if she longed to choke him.

"I tell you again, Captain Anerley," cried the lieutenant, with his
temper kindling, "that no consideration moved me, Sir, except that of
duty. As for my spying after any pretty girls, my wife, who is now down
with her eighth baby, would get up sooner than hear of it. If I intruded
upon your daughter, so as to justify her in knocking me down, Captain
Anerley, it was because--well I won't say, Mary, I won't say; we have
all been young; and our place is to know better."

"Sir, you are a gentleman," cried Popplewell with heat; "here is
my hand, and you may trespass on my premises, without bringing any
attorney."

"Did you say her eighth baby? Oh, Commander Carroway," Mrs. Popplewell
began to whisper; "what a most interesting situation! Oh, I see why you
have such high color, Sir."

"Madam, it is enough to make me pale. At the same time I do like
sympathy; and my dear wife loves the smell of tan."

"We have retired, Sir, many years ago, and purchased a property near the
seaside; and from the front gate you must have seen--But oh, I forgot,
captain, you came through the hedge, or at any rate down the row of
kidney-beans."

"I want to know the truth," shouted Stephen Anerley, who had been
ploughing through his brow into his brain, while he kept his eyes
fixed upon his daughter's, and there found abashment, but no abasement;
"naught have I to do with any little goings on, or whether an action was
a gentleman's or not. That question belongs to the regulars, I wand, or
t