and, by the living Jacob, you shall splice!

KIT. David Pew, do you mean what you say?

PEW. Do I mean what I say? Does David Pew? Ask Admiral 'Awke! Ask old
Admiral Byng in his coffin, where I laid him with these 'ands! Pew does,
is what those naval commanders would reply. Mean it? I reckon so.

KIT. Then, shake hands. You're an honest man, Pew--old Pew!--and I'll
make your fortune. But there's something else, if I could keep the run
of it. Oh, ah! But _can_ you? That's the point. Can you? don't you see?

PEW. Can I? You leave that to me; I'll bring you to your moorings; I'm
the man that can, and I'm him that will. But only, look here, let's
understand each other. You're a bold blade, ain't you? You won't stick
at a trifle for a lovely female? You'll back me up? You're a man, ain't
you? a man, and you'll see me through and through it, hey? Come; is that
so? Are you fair and square and stick at nothing?

KIT. Me, Pew? I'll go through fire and water.

PEW. I'll risk it. Well, then, see here, my son: another swallow and we
jog.

KIT. No, not to-night, Pew, not to-night!

PEW. Commander, in a manner of speaking, wherefore?

KIT. Wherefore, Pew? 'Cause why, Pew? 'Cause I'm drunk, and be damned to
you!

PEW. Commander, I ax your pardon; but, saving your presence, that's a
lie. What? drunk? a man with a 'ed for argyment like that? Just you get
up, and steady yourself on your two pins, and you'll be as right as
ninepence.

KIT. Pew, before we budge, let me shake your flipper again. You're heart
of oak, Pew, sure enough; and if you can bring the Adam--Admirable
about, why, damme, I'll make your fortune! How you're going to do it, I
don't know; but I'll stand by; and I know you'll do it if anybody can.
But I'm drunk, Pew, you can't deny that; I'm as drunk as a Plymouth
fiddler, Pew; and how you're going to do it is a mystery to me.

PEW. Ah, you leave that to me. All I want is what I've got: your promise
to stand by and bear a hand (_producing a dark lantern_). Now, here, you
see, is my little glim; it ain't for me, because I'm blind, worse luck!
and the day and night is the blessed same to David Pew. But you watch.
You put the candle near me. Here's what there ain't many blind men could
do, take the pick o' them! (_lighting a screw of paper, and with that,
the lantern_). Hey? That's it. Hey? Go and pity the poor blind!

KIT (_while PEW blows out the candles_). But I say, Pew, what do you
want with it?

PEW. T