ay earn their bread again. Bad times
for you, old codger, heh!" continued he, addressing Stapleton.
Stapleton nodded an assent through the smoke, which was first perceived
by old Tom. "Well, he ar'nt deaf, a'ter all; I thought he was only
shamming a bit. I say, Jacob, this is the weather to blow your fingers,
and make your eyes bright."

"Rather to blow a cloud and make your eyes water," replied Tom, taking
up the pot: "I'm just as thirsty with swallowing smoke, as if I had a
pipe myself--at all events, I pipe my eye. Jacob," continued Tom, to me
apart, "do look how the old gentleman is _funking_ Mary, and casting
sheeps' eyes at her through the smoke."

"He appears as if he were inclined to board her in the smoke," replied
I.

"Yes, and she to make no fight of it, but surrender immediately," said
Tom.

"Don't you believe it, Tom; I know her better; she wants to laugh at
him--nothing more; she winked her eye at me just now, but I would not
laugh, as I did not choose that the old gentleman should be trifled
with. I will tax her severely to-morrow."

During all this time old Tom and Stapleton smoked in silence: the
Dominie made use of his eyes in dumb parlance to Mary, who answered him
with her own bright glances, and Tom and I began to find it rather dull;
when at last old Tom's pipe was exhausted, and he laid it down; "There,
I'll smoke no more--the worst of a pipe is that one can't smoke and talk
at the same time. Mary, my girl, take your eyes off the Dominie's nose,
and hand me that bottle of stuff. What, glass to mix it in; that's more
genteel than we are on board, Tom." Tom filled a rummer of grog, took
half off at a huge sip, and put it down on the table. "Will you do as
we do, sir?" said he, addressing the Dominie.

"Nay, friend Dux, nay--pr'ythee persuade me not--avaunt!" and the
Dominie, with an appearance of horror, turned away from the bottle
handed towards him by old Tom.

"Not drink anything?" said Mary to the Dominie, looking at him with
surprise, "but indeed you must, or I shall think you despise us, and do
not think us fit to be in your company."

"Nay, maiden, entreat me not. Ask anything of me but this," replied the
Dominie.

"Ask anything but this--that's just the way people have of refusing,"
replied Mary; "were I to ask anything else, it would be the same
answer--`ask anything but this.' Now, if you will not drink to please
me, I shall quarrel with you. You shall drink a glass