s to dignity
and complexion, "I cannot allow the--the--er--form of the Company's
stewardesses to be so discussed."

"Beggin' yer pardon, sir," fiercely rejoined Chips--who was getting a
bit of his own back on Mrs. Pudge--"I'm using the nautical expression,
sir; she failed to get about when that there dawg"--pointing of stub
thumb at heedless dog--"growled 'cause she has water in the knee. I'm
usin' a an--anatomical expression now, sir--her knee--this,
sir"--slapping of knee with horny hand of toil--"The ship's knees,
miss," addressing Damaris, whose straight brows had almost met in
puzzlement, "is a chock on the forepart of the lowermast on which the
'eel--heel, miss, of the topmast rests. Yuss, sir. Her knee may 'ave
water in it; but no one couldn't say the same of her _grog_."

To prevent death from combustion, the speechless captain here intimated
by signs that the culprit should stand up. And the brindle of Rodney
Stone strain stood, whilst the men's eyes glistened as they fidgeted
upon their feet from very joy in the spectacle.

His skull was massive and perfectly-shaped, the under-jaw square and
strong, thrust up and beyond the upper; the teeth were perfect, even,
large and also strong; the nose was black and large, well back between
the eyes, which were set low down and wide apart, but well in front and
round, with a deep "stop" between them; the honestest outward sign of
his gallant loving heart. The ears were rose; not in colour, of
course, but of rose-leaf shape, set high and small and fine; the face
was closely-wrinkled, the "chop" well down, and the loose skin in
abundant folds about his throat and neck.

The chest was wide and deep and prominent; the shoulders were
tremendously muscular; the body was short, with a Roach back, fine in
the rear; the forelegs, short and strong, with the developed calves
which give them the appearance of being bowed, whereas the bones are
really straight; the feet turned out a bit, with toes split up and
arched; the tail set low and straight down and anything but a glad
tail. His heart was of the finest, honest, loving, courageous, capable
of hurling its owner to instant battle or death, in defence of the one
loved, at other times rendering him, in its gentleness, an almost
ludicrous spectacle of adoration. Of such was Wellington, and if the
description is somewhat detailed and technical it is because he happens
a good deal into the book.

The duchess had been put