when the revolving eye seemed to be coming round
in his direction, said:

'Bunsby, my lad, how fares it?'

A deep, gruff, husky utterance, which seemed to have no connexion with
Bunsby, and certainly had not the least effect upon his face, replied,
'Ay, ay, shipmet, how goes it?' At the same time Bunsby's right hand and
arm, emerging from a pocket, shook the Captain's, and went back again.

'Bunsby,' said the Captain, striking home at once, 'here you are; a man
of mind, and a man as can give an opinion. Here's a young lady as wants
to take that opinion, in regard of my friend Wal'r; likewise my t'other
friend, Sol Gills, which is a character for you to come within hail of,
being a man of science, which is the mother of invention, and knows no
law. Bunsby, will you wear, to oblige me, and come along with us?'

The great commander, who seemed by expression of his visage to be always
on the look-out for something in the extremest distance' and to have no
ocular knowledge of anything within ten miles, made no reply whatever.

'Here is a man,' said the Captain, addressing himself to his fair
auditors, and indicating the commander with his outstretched hook, 'that
has fell down, more than any man alive; that has had more accidents
happen to his own self than the Seamen's Hospital to all hands; that
took as many spars and bars and bolts about the outside of his head
when he was young, as you'd want a order for on Chatham-yard to build
a pleasure yacht with; and yet that his opinions in that way, it's my
belief, for there ain't nothing like 'em afloat or ashore.'

The stolid commander appeared by a very slight vibration in his elbows,
to express some satisfaction in this encomium; but if his face had
been as distant as his gaze was, it could hardly have enlightened
the beholders less in reference to anything that was passing in his
thoughts.

'Shipmate,' said Bunsby, all of a sudden, and stooping down to look out
under some interposing spar, 'what'll the ladies drink?'

Captain Cuttle, whose delicacy was shocked by such an inquiry in
connection with Florence, drew the sage aside, and seeming to explain in
his ear, accompanied him below; where, that he might not take offence,
the Captain drank a dram himself' which Florence and Susan, glancing
down the open skylight, saw the sage, with difficulty finding room for
himself between his berth and a very little brass fireplace, serve out
for self and friend. They soon reappea