half-guinea is eleven and six
(_re-enter MRS. DRAKE with supper, pipe, etc._); and a blessed majesty
George the First crown-piece makes sixteen and six; and two shilling
bits is eighteen and six; and a new half-crown makes--no it don't! O no!
Old Pew's too smart a hand to be bammed with a soft tusheroon.

MRS. DRAKE (_changing piece_). I'm sure I didn't know it, sailor.

PEW (_trying new coin between his teeth_). In course you didn't, my
dear; but I did, and I thought I'd mention it. Is that my supper, hey?
Do my nose deceive me? (_Sniffing and feeling._) Cold duck? sage and
onions? a round of double Gloster? and that noggin o' rum? Why, I
declare if I'd stayed and took pot-luck with my old commander, Cap'n
John Gaunt, he couldn't have beat this little spread, as I've got by act
of parleyment.

MRS. DRAKE (_at knitting_). Do you know the captain, sailor?

PEW. Know him? I was that man's bo'sun, ma'am. In the Guinea trade, we
was known as "Pew's Cap'n" and "Gaunt's Bo'sun," one for the other like.
We was like two brothers, ma'am. And a excellent cold duck, to be sure;
and the rum lovely.

MRS. DRAKE. If you know John Gaunt, you know his daughter Arethusa.

PEW. What? Arethusa? Know her, says you? know her? Why, Lord love you, I
was her godfather. ("Pew," says Jack Gaunt to me, "Pew," he says,
"you're a man," he says; "I like a man to be a man," says he, "and
damme," he says, "I like _you_; and sink me," says he, "if you don't
promise and vow in the name of that new-born babe," he says, "why,
damme, Pew," says he, "you're not the man I take you for.") Yes, ma'am,
I named that female; with my own 'ands I did; Arethusa I named her; that
was the name I give her; so now you know if I speak true. And if you'll
be as good as get me another noggin of rum, why, we'll drink her 'elth
with three times three. (_Exit MRS. DRAKE; Pew eating; MRS. DRAKE
re-entering with rum._)

MRS. DRAKE. If what you say be true, sailor (and I don't say it isn't,
mind!), it's strange that Arethusa and that godly man her father have
never so much as spoke your name.

PEW. Why, that's so! And why, says you? Why, when I dropped in and paid
my respecks this morning, do you think she knew me? No more'n a babe
unborn! Why, ma'am, when I promised and vowed for her, I was the picter
of a man-o'war's man, I was: eye like a eagle; walked the deck in a
hornpipe, foot up and foot down; v'ice as mellow as rum; 'and upon 'art,
and all the females took dead