broad off the nets, which the skipper kept a
facksinatin eye on, as he paced up and down the quarter-deck.'

"'The devil you did!' Hornblower cried out, at the top of his deep,
coarse voice, letting fly a stream of juice that e'en most skinned the
Squire's nasal organ.

"'Dan'l!--d----mn it! bring a bucket here for the skipper!'
interrupted the Squire. He hoped Jacob would continue with the
remainder of his evidence. 'And the skipper looked so all-fired strong
at the nets that I couldn't help tellin Uncle Enoch how they'd be
stripped afore morning. Sure enough, just as I said, there warn't a
herrin left in the mornin. Seeing how the game war' going, I went
aboard to take breakfast with the skipper; and there, if his table
warn't spread with the fattest fried fresh herrin--'

"'That's all ye knows, ain't it, Jacob? That's more en enough; my own
mind was made up afore I read the law, and heard the testimony,'
rejoined the Squire, looking suddenly wise. 'Yes, dad!' emphatically
returned Jacob, 'but I know'd they were the very same herrin, by the
taste on 'em: they tasted as if they wor stolen!' And Jacob having
delivered himself of this tart and somewhat strange rejoinder, gave
his shoulder a significant shrug, as he watched dad's eyes, without
faltering.

"'That's plump testimony--there's no coming yer Yankee twist over
that! Ye see, Hornblower, I knows the hang of the law, slap up. The
public should know these outrages; the Parliament should be apprised
of such breaches of law and moral honesty; the Home Government should
know what cussed pests the Yankees are! We don't want you here at all,
Hornblower; you've turned pedler, and upset all our trade--there now!'
Here the Squire worked himself up into a perfect fever of excitement,
pressing his law-book firmly on the table while addressing his legal
observations to his auditory. 'I shall pronounce you guilty,
Hornblower, and judge you to pay a fine of twenty pounds currency,
according to the sovereign law of this Her Most Gracious Britannic
Majesty's province.'

"I interrupted by telling him to go-ahead. 'Squire, if you warn't so
fast, I'd try to get a word in edgewise for Hornblower,' said I. But,
before the Squire had time to retort, Hornblower himself took up the
weapon. 'Great Jehu----e! Squire,' he ejaculated, 'you know no more
about the law than Dobbin Dobson's donkey--ye hain't worth two cents!'
Hornblower's face blazed with red rage, and the Squire got himse