No offence to you, sir; it wasn't you as was the goose."
Master Tugwell rubbed his pockets with a very pleasant smile, and then
put his elbows on his great square knees, and complacently studied the
lieutenant's smaller mind.
"I can understand how you could do such a thing," said Scudamore, after
he had rubbed his eyes, and then looked away for fear of laughing, "but
I cannot understand by what power on earth you are enabled to look at me
and tell me this. For nine days you have been paid every night, and paid
pretty well, as you yourself acknowledge, to haul a ship off a shoal;
and all the time you have been hauling her harder upon it!"
"Young man," replied Tugwell, with just indignation, "a hofficer should
be above such words. But I forgive 'e, and hope the Lord will do the
same, with allowance for youth and ill-convenience. I might 'a knowed no
better, at your age and training."
"But what were you paid for, just answer me that, unless it was to pull
the Blonde off the sand-bank? And how can you pretend that you have done
an honest thing by pulling her further upon the bank?"
"I won't ask 'e, sir, to beg my pardon for saying what never man said
to me, without reading the words of the contraction;" Zeb pulled out
a paper from his hat, and spread it, and laid a stone at every corner;
"this contraction was signed by yourself and Squire Darling, for and on
behalf of the kingdom; and the words are for us to give our services, to
pull, haul, tow, warp, or otherwise as directed, release, relieve, set
free, and rescue the aforesaid ship, or bark, or vessel, craft, or--"
"Please not to read all that," cried Scuddy, "or a gale of wind may come
before you are half-way through.
Pages:
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214