l the difference in the
world. But as for land--I hate it. It's only good to grow vegetables,
and soft tack, and fresh water, and tar, and timber, and breed children
to make sailormen out of--why, it's a sort of a cook's galley, a
kitchen they call it there, for the sea at best! Give me the sight of
blue water, and let me have the solid feel of the deck beneath my feet;
no unsteady earth for me!"

"Well, that's my own opinion, too, bo. But, after all, that's all that
ships is good for, anyway; just to sail from land to land and take
people and things from place to place. The sea's between like."

"You look at it the wrong way, mate. Certain of us men have sense
enough to live on the sea, and keep away from land, except for water
and provision. We go from sea to sea, and land 's between."

"And what would you do for a country if we had no land? You 're always
talking about lovin' your country, bosun."

"Ay, that I do," said the old man. "I look upon a country, that is a
land country, as a kind of necessary evil. My country 's this ship,
and yon flag, what it means and stands for. It means liberty, free
waters, no interference with peaceful traders on the high seas,
following their rightful pursuits, by British ships-of-war. Every man
that has ever been aboard of one of those floating hells knows what
liberty is not, well enough. No taxing of us by a Parliament on t'
other side of the world, neither. No king but the captain. Freedom!
So free that the lubberliest landsman on shore has a right to govern
himself--if he can--subject to discipline and the commands of his
superior officer, of course; and, besides, it's like a man's wife; if
he's got to have one, he may beat her and abuse her, perhaps, but
nobody else shall. No! Land's a pretty poor sort of a thing in
general, but that aft there is the best there is going, and it 's our
own. We 'll die for it, yes, for love of it, if it comes to that, even
if we do hate it, on general principles mind, you understand."

There was evidently a trace of Irish blood in the old sailor, it would
seem, and so saying, with a wave of his hand, which brushed aside
further argument, he turned abruptly on his heel and walked aft. In
spite of all his words, which only reflected the usual opinion of
sailors, in those days at least, he yielded to no man in patriotism and
devotion to the cause of liberty and the land that gave him birth. And
no man in all Washington's ar