The house was new and clean and
bald, and stood naked to the Trades. The wind beat
about it in loud squalls; the seaward windows rattled
without mercy; the breach of the surf below contributed
its increment of noise; and the fall of my foot in the
narrow verandah passed unheard by those within.
There were two on whom I thus entered unexpectedly: the
look-out man, with grizzled beard, keen seaman's eyes,
and that brand on his countenance that comes of
solitary living; and a visitor, an oldish, oratorical
fellow, in the smart tropical array of the British man-
o'-war's man, perched on a table, and smoking a cigar.
I was made pleasantly welcome, and was soon listening
with amusement to the sea-lawyer.
"No, if I hadn't have been born an Englishman," was one
of his sentiments, "damn me! I'd rather 'a' been born a
Frenchy! I'd like to see another nation fit to black
their boots." Presently after, he developed his views
on home politics with similar trenchancy. "I'd rather
be a brute beast than what I'd be a Liberal," he said;
"carrying banners and that! a pig's got more sense.
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