"
Doubtless the captain was a mine of counsel, but
opportunity was denied him. He could not venture on a
statement, he was scarce allowed to finish a phrase,
before Hadden swept him from the field with a volley of
protest and correction. That projector, his face
blazing with inspiration, first laid before him at
inordinate length a question, and as soon as he
attempted to reply, leaped at his throat, called his
facts into question, derided his policy, and at times
thundered on him from the heights of moral indignation.
"I beg your pardon," he said once. "I am a gentleman,
Mr. Carthew here is a gentleman, and we don't mean to
do that class of business. Can't you see who you are
talking to? Can't you talk sense? Can't you give us
"a dead bird" for a good traderoom?"
"No, I don't suppose I can," returned old Bostock; "not
when I can't hear my own voice for two seconds
together. It was gin and guns I did it with."
"Take your gin and guns to Putney," cried Hadden. "It
was the thing in your times, that's right enough; but
you're old now, and the game's up.
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