laying a mandolin while holding a most beautiful
pose (because Little Buttercup is also "on deck," and looking
sentimentally at him). The Captain sings to the moon, quite as if
there were no one there to admire him; because while this "levelling"
business is going on in the Navy there seems no good reason why
Buttercup or any other thrifty bumboat lady shouldn't do a little
levelling herself. Now to marry the Captain--but just now, even though
it is moonlight and a very propitious moment, there is other work on
hand than marrying the Captain. She can do that almost any time! But
at this moment she has some very mysterious and profound things to say
to him. She tells him that:

Things are seldom what they seem,
Skim milk masquerades as cream.
High-lows pass as patent leathers,
Jackdaws strut in peacock feathers.

And the Captain acquiesces.

Black-sheep dwell in every fold.
All that glitters is not gold.
Storks turn out to be but logs.
Bulls are but inflated frogs.

And again the Captain wisely acquiesces.

Drops the wind and stops the mill.
Turbot is ambitious brill.
Gild the farthing if you will,
Yet it is a farthing still.

And again the Captain admits that this may be true. It is quite, quite
painful if it is. On the whole, the Captain fears she has got rather
the best of him, so he determines to rally; he philosophises a little
himself, when he has time. He has time now:

Tho' I'm anything but clever,

he declares rhythmically, even truthfully;

I could talk like that forever,
Once a cat was killed by care,
Only brave deserve the fair.

He has her there, beyond doubt, because all she can say is "how true."

Thus encouraged he continues:

Wink is often good as nod;
Spoils the child, who spares the rod;
Thirsty lambs run foxy dangers,
Dogs are found in many mangers.

Buttercup agrees;--she can't help it.

Paw of cat the chestnut snatches;
Worn-out garments show new patches;
Only count the chick that hatches,
Men are grown-up catchy-catches.

And Little Buttercup assents that this certainly is true. And then,
just as she has worked the Captain up into a pink fit of apprehension
she leaves him. While he stands looking after her and feeling
unusually left alone, Sir Joseph enters and declares himself very much
disappointed with Josephine.

"What, won't she do, Sir Joseph?" t