And we put a prize crew from the Leda on board her,
only eight-and-twenty hands, which was all that could be spared, and
in command of them our friend Blyth Scudamore. I sent him to ask Robert
Honyman about it, when he managed to survive the doctor, for a captain
is the master of his own luffs; and he answered that it was exactly
what he wished. Our gallant frigate lost three lieutenants in this very
spirited action, two killed and one heavily wounded. And the first is
in charge of the Ville d'Anvers, so there was nobody for this enterprise
except the gentle Scuddy, as they call him. He is very young for such a
business, and we must do all we can to help him."
"I have confidence in that young man," said Mr. Twemlow, as if it were
a question of theology; "he has very sound views, and his principles are
high; and he would have taken holy orders, I believe, if his father's
assets had permitted it. He perceives all the rapidly growing dangers
with which the Church is surrounded, and when I was in doubt about a
line of Horace, he showed the finest diffidence, and yet proved that
I was right. The 'White Pig,' as the name of a submarine bank, is most
clearly of classic origin. We find it in Homer, and in Virgil too; and
probably the Romans, who undoubtedly had a naval station in Springhaven,
and exterminated the oyster, as they always did--"
"Come, come, Twemlow," said the Admiral, with a smile which smoothed the
breach of interruption, "you carry me out of my depth so far that I long
to be stranded on my pillow.
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