A
ship getting ready for sea is no place for people,
anyway. You'll only interrupt my men."
I was on the point of answering something tart; but
Jim, who was acquainted with the breed, as he was with
most things that had a bearing on affairs, made haste
to pour in oil.
"Captain," he said, "I know we're a nuisance here, and
that you've had a rough time. But all we want is that
you should drink one glass of wine with us, Perrier-
Jouet, from Longhurst, on the occasion of my marriage,
and Loudon's--Mr. Dodd's--departure."
"Well, it's your look-out," said Nares. "I don't mind
half an hour. Spell, O!" he added to the men; "go and
kick your heels for half an hour, and then you can turn
to again a trifle livelier. Johnson, see if you can't
wipe off a chair for the lady."
His tone was no more gracious than his language; but
when Mamie had turned upon him the soft fire of her
eyes, and informed him that he was the first sea-
captain she had ever met, "except captains of steamers,
of course"--she so qualified the statement--and had
expressed a lively sense of his courage, and perhaps
implied (for I suppose the arts of ladies are the same
as those of men) a modest consciousness of his good
looks, our bear began insensibly to soften; and it was
already part as an apology, though still with
unaffected heat of temper, that he volunteered some
sketch of his annoyances.
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