who was a gentleman as well as himself, happens not to be on
the quarter-deck, to insult him because he only has perfessed opinions
like his own."

Hereupon Mr Biggs struck his rattan against the funnel, and looked at
our hero.

"Yes," continued the purser's steward, "I should like to see the fellow
who would have done so on shore however, the time will come when I can
hagain pull on my plain coat, and then the insult shall be vashed out in
blood, Mr Biggs."

"And I'll be cursed if I don't some day teach a lesson to the blackguard
who stole my trousers."

"Vas hall your money right, Mr Biggs?" inquired the purser's steward.

"I didn't count," replied the boatswain magnificently.

"No--gentlemen are above that," replied Easthupp; "but there are many
light-fingered gentry habout. The quantity of vatches and harticles of
value vich were lost ven I valked Bond Street in former times is
incredible."

"I can say this, at all events," replied the boatswain, "that I should
be always ready to give satisfaction to any person beneath me in rank,
after I had insulted him. I don't stand upon my rank, although I don't
talk about equality, damme--no, nor consort with niggers." All this was
too plain for our hero not to understand, so Jack walked up to the
boatswain, and taking his hat off, with the utmost politeness, said to
him:

"If I mistake not, Mr Biggs, your conversation refers to me."

"Very likely it does," replied the boatswain. "Listeners hear no good
of themselves."

"It appears that gentlemen can't converse without being vatched,"
continued Mr Easthupp, pulling up his shirt-collar.

"It is not the first time that you have thought proper to make very
offensive remarks, Mr Biggs; and as you appear to consider yourself
ill-treated in the affair of the trousers, for I tell you at once, that
it was I who brought them on board, I can only say," continued our hero,
with a very polite bow, "that I shall be most happy to give you
satisfaction."

"I am your superior officer, Mr Easy," replied the boatswain.

"Yes, by the rules of the service; but you just now asserted that you
would waive your rank--indeed, I dispute it on this occasion; I am on
the quarter-deck, and you are not."

"This is the gentleman whom you have insulted, Mr Easy," replied the
boatswain, pointing to the purser's steward.

"Yes, Mr Heasy, quite as good a gentleman as yourself, although I av ad
misfortune--I ham of as hold a family as han