he
ensign. It looked much like a decorated seat. Mr Silva would not
admit the phrase to be improper, and consequently his associates would
not permit the reading to proceed. During most of the time the captain
was convulsed with laughter, and whenever he saw the commotion at all
lulling, he immediately, by some ill-timed remark, renewed it to its
accustomed fury. At length, as the seamen say, they all had got a cloth
in the wind--the captain two or three,--and it was approaching the time
for beating to quarters. The finale, therefore, as previously arranged,
was acted. Captain Reud rose, and steadying himself on his legs, by
placing one hand on the back of his chair, and the other on the shoulder
of the gentleman that sat next to him, spoke thus: "Gentlemen--I'm no
scholar--that is--you comprehend fully--on deck, there!--don't keep that
damned trampling--and put me out--where was I?"

"Please, sir," said I, "you were saying you were no scholar."

"I wasn't--couldn't have said so. I had the best of educations--but all
my masters were dull--damned dull--so they couldn't teach a quick lad,
like me, too quick for them--couldn't overtake me with their damned
learning. I'm a straightforward man. I've common sense--com--common
sense. Let us take a common sense view of this excruciation--ex--ex--I
mean exquisite argument. Gentlemen, come here;" and the captain,
between two supporters and the rest of the company, with Mr Silva,
approached the mysterious looking, elongated affair, that lay, covered
with the union-jack, like the corpse of some lanky giant, who had run
himself up into a consumption by a growth too rapid. The doctor and
purser, who were doubtlessly in the secret, wore each a look of the most
perplexing gravity--the captain one of triumphant mischief; the rest of
us, one of the most unfeigned wonder.

"If," spluttered out Captain Reud, see-sawing over the yet concealed
thing. "If, Mr Paviour, you can pave your way down a river--"

"My name, sir, is Don Alphonso Ribidiero da Silva," said the annoyed
lieutenant, with a dignified bow.

"Well, then, Don Alphonso Ribs-are-dear-o damned Silva, if you can pave
your way down a river, let us see how you can pave it in a small way
down this _hog-trough_ full of water," plucking away, with the
assistance of his confederates, the ensign that covered it.

"With fools' heads," roared out the exasperated, and, I fear, not very
sober, Portuguese.

Though I was c