in Pharo, "I want ye to step down here and scrape
twenty-five pound o' mud off'n my two-seated kerridge."

The admiral regarded us fixedly for some moments, fireless pipe in
expressionless mouth, and then rose and descended to us. The women had
already contemptuously left our company and gone about their shopping.

"Come along, Kobbe!" said the admiral, "and bring"--he glanced with
calm, meaningless vision at me--"bring all the rest on ye."

He led us under the loud sign of a tin shop, where, after sedate
speculation in the matter of purchasing a tea-kettle with a consuming
leak in the bottom, he cleared his throat. "'S I sums it up," said he
to the proprietor, without further utterance; that individual looked
doubtfully at me.

"Oh, he 's all right," said Captain Pharo; "he 's a cousin o' mine in
the show business."

This introduction proving more than satisfactory, we were ushered into
a small room apart and the door locked behind us: but missing Uncle
Coffin's inspiration in this case, and remembering the quality of the
liquid, I made a smart show of drinking, without in the least
diminishing the contents of the bottle.

Not so, however, good Captain Pharo: from this time on his conduct
waxed sunny and genial, as well as irresponsible of the grave duties
which had hitherto afflicted him.

"Thar' 's a lot o' winter cabbage, 't was sp'ilin' down in my suller,
't I put in onto the kerridge floor, major," said he; "ef ye're mind
ter sell 'em out for what ye can git, to harves, ye're welcome. Sell
'em out to hulls, by clam!" he called after me. "I ain't so mean 't I
carn't help a young man along a little."

I returned to the carriage and arranged my fading cabbages as
attractively as possible, offset by the glories of the star bed-quilt;
and whether it was because the news had already spread that I was in
the show business, or by reason of some of those occult charms at which
Captain Pharo had hinted, I was soon surrounded by a lively group of
women.

"Here 's one 't ain't worth but two cents," said one fair creature,
holding up a specimen of my stock, whose appearance beside her own
fresh beauty caused me to writhe for shame. "I shan't give a mite more
for her."

"O madam, is she worth that?" I denied impulsively.

The woman, speechless, dropped the cabbage to the earth.

"Here 's a nickel, anyway, for your bein' so honest," she exclaimed,
soon afterward.

I took it with a bow. And here sordid cons