"Begging of your pardon, sir, I would invite of you not to be in no sart
of hurry hasting forwardly. Us must come off gradual, after holding on
so long there, and better to have Squire Darling round the corner first,
sir. Not that he knoweth much about it, but 'a might make believe to
do so. And when 'a hath seen us pull wrong ways, a hundred and twenty
guineas' worth, a' might grudge us the reward for pulling right ways.
I've a-knowed 'un get into that state of mind, although it was his own
tenants."
The lieutenant was at length compelled to laugh, though for many reasons
loth to do so. But the quiet contempt for the Admiral's skill, and the
brief hint about his character, touched his sense of the ludicrous more
softly than the explanation of his own mishaps. Then the Captain of
Springhaven smiled almost imperceptibly; for he was a serious man, and
his smiles were accustomed to be interior.
"I did hear tell," he said, stroking his beard, for fear of having
discomposed it, "that the Squire were under compulsion to go a bit
westward again to-morrow. And when he cometh back he would be glad to
find us had managed the job without him. No fear of the weather breaking
up afore Friday, and her can't take no harm for a tide or two. If you
thinks well, sir, let us heave at her to-day, as afore, by superior
orders. Then it come into your mind to try t'other end a bit, and you
shift all the guns and heavy lumber forrard to give weight to the bows
and lift the starn, and off her will glide at the first tug to-morrow,
so sure as my name is Zebedee.
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