ll quantity of drinking.

"'The Squire's a humbug!--he is!--I'll blow the Court to thunder.
Just clar the kitchen,' cried out the skipper, stripping off his coat,
as if to have a tug and hug with the Squire, who at that moment wanted
to get a word in edgewise. The next Smooth saw, the Squire was letting
fly at Hornblower's head the law-book; which rather summary
demonstration was replied to by a stream of tobacco juice, with which
Hornblower blinded the Squire, setting him nearly frantic. By the way,
the law-book missed its intended object, and stormed the end of Uncle
Seth Sprague's nose, nearly knocking off an inch or two.

"'Now, if that is Colonial law, Squire, I think how a little home-made
Yankee justice won't be a bad application,' said Hornblower, making
ready to administer the medicine; then he squared off, and sent his
mauler right into the Squire's dumplin depot, so sharp and strong, as
to produce a decided conviction. At length the Squire was floored, and
found working the rule of three on the boards. Here the diplomacy
became so warm, that Smooth having the very highest regard for Mr.
Pierce and his fighting diplomatists who deemed getting up duels, and
writing down editors very necessary preliminaries to their mission,
thought he would withdraw, leaving the intricacy to Hornblower's
settlement, seeing that he was producing the strongest kind of notes
and protocols.

CHAPTER XVII.

SMOOTH SETTLES ALL INTERNATIONAL DIFFICULTIES.

"Smooth, on returning to the arms of Mr. Pierce, concluded it would
not be bad policy to touch at Halifax, meet Uncle John Bull's
Commissioner, and with him make a final settlement of all
international questions. And now, being alongside of George's Island,
which rises abruptly in the centre of Halifax harbor, and nearly
opposite the old tower on Point Pleasant--and from which a splendid
view of the surrounding country may be obtained, I feel a desire to
relate some scenes of singular import which have been enacted in this
place. My respect for the feelings of great men and governors,
however, causes me to withhold some few of them. Indeed, my character
for modesty being pretty well established, I am more than cautions how
I bring it in contact with the nervous system of such gentry.
Nevertheless, seeing that not uncommonly the greatest and most
powerful nations turn the smallest beings into very great men, and
spend no end of money to do nobody any good, a short, and