taper spars, not exactly in accordance
with the lubberly hull beneath. Pitch and white paint were in great
requisition too; and every day saw some half-dozen of the crew suspended
over the side, either scraping or painting for the very life. Many a
shirt dangled from the boom, and more than one low-crowned hat received
a fresh coat of glistening varnish; all were intent on the approaching
landing, even to the group of lounging officers on the poop, who
had begun to reduce their beards and whiskers to a more "regulation"
standard, and who usually passed the morning inspecting epaulettes and
sword-knots, shakos, gorgets, and such like, with the importance of men
who felt what havoc among the fair Canadians they were soon about to
inflict.

My services were in request among this section of the passengers, since
I had become an expert hand at cleaning arms and equipments with Sir
Dudley; besides that, not wearing his Majesty's cloth, the officers were
at liberty to talk to me with a freedom they could not have used with
their men. They were all more or less curious to hear about Sir Dudley,
of whom, without transgressing Halkett's caution, I was able to relate
some amusing particulars. As my hearers invariably made their comments
on my narratives in French, I was often amused to hear them record their
opinions of myself, expressed with perfect candor in my own presence.
The senior officer was a Captain Pike, an old, keen-eyed, pock-marked
man, with a nose as thin as a sheet of parchment. He seemed to read me
like a book; at least, so far as I knew, his opinions perfectly divined
my true character.

"Our friend Con," he would say, "is an uncommonly shrewd varlet, but he
is only telling us some of the truth; he sees that he is entertaining
enough, and won't produce 'Lafitte' so long as we enjoy his
'Ordinaire.'"

"Now, what will become of such a fellow as that?" asked another. "Heaven
knows! such rascals turn out consummate scoundrels, or rise to positions
of eminence. Never was there a more complete lottery than the life of a
young rogue like that."

"I can't fancy," drawled out a young subaltern, "how an ignorant cur,
without education, manners, and means, can ever rise to anything."

"Who can say whether he has not all these?" said the captain, quietly.
"Trust me, Carrington, you'd cut a much poorer figure in _his_ place
than would he in _yours_."

The ensign gave a haughty laugh, and the captain resumed: "I said i