y should have reared you with so slight
a knowledge o' the King's English!' grumbled Solomon. 'In truth, friend,
it is a marvel to me why sailor men should be able to show a lead to
those on shore in the matter of lingo. For out of seven hundred men in
the ship _Worcester_--the same that sank in the Bay of Funchal--there
was not so much as a powder-boy but could understand every word that I
said, whereas on shore there is many a great jolterhead, like thyself,
who might be a Portugee for all the English that he knows, and who
stares at me like a pig in a hurricane if I do lint ask him what he
makes the reckoning, or how many bells have gone.'

'Whom is it that you would see?' asked the sergeant gruffly. 'You have a
most infernally long tongue.'

'Aye, and a rough one, too, when I have fools to deal with,' returned
the seaman. 'If I had you in my watch, lad, for a three years' cruise, I
would make a man of you yet.'

'Pass the old man through!' cried the sergeant furiously, and the sailor
came stumping in, with his bronzed face all screwed up and twisted,
partly with amusement at his victory over the sergeant, and partly from
a great chunk of tobacco which he was wont to stow within his cheek.
Having glanced round without perceiving me, he put his hands to his
mouth and bellowed out my name, with a string of 'Ahoys!' which rang
through the building.

'Here I am, Solomon,' said I, touching him on the shoulder.

'God bless you, lad! God bless you!' he cried, wringing my hand. 'I
could not see you, for my port eye is as foggy as the Newfoundland
banks, and has been ever since Long Sue Williams of the Point hove a
quart pot at it in the Tiger inn nigh thirty year agone. How are you?
All sound, alow and aloft?'

'As well as might be,' I answered. 'I have little to complain of.'

'None of your standing rigging shot away!' said he. 'No spars crippled?
No shots between wind and water, eh? You have not been hulled, nor
raked, nor laid aboard of?'

'None of these things,' said I, laughing.

'Faith! you are leaner than of old, and have aged ten years in two
months. You did go forth as smart and trim a fighting ship as over
answered helm, and now you are like the same ship when the battle and
the storm have taken the gloss from her sides and torn the love-pennants
from her peak. Yet am I right glad to see you sound in wind and limb.'

'I have looked upon sights,' said I, 'which might well add ten years to
a man's age.'