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They really both wanted a good night's rest, and their father was not long in following out his own precept, advising Mr Lathrope to do likewise, to which he was nothing loth; so that, soon after eight bells had struck, all the occupants of the saloon were buried in repose and the ship quiet with the exception of an occasional tinkering sound from the main-deck, coupled with the "clink-clank" of the chain-pumps and the wash of the waves past the sides, all of which were almost inaudible aft.
Still, it will be advisable, Mr Lathrope, as you have introduced the subject, to take stock of all the stores we have, and Master Snowball must be instructed to be not quite so lavish in his display at dinner-time as he was yesterday." "Sorry I spoke," said Mr Lathrope, rather chop-fallen at the way in which his suggestion had been taken.
Mr Zachariah Lathrope, however, was his own master, and he made himself very busy amongst the dripping sailors, who were hopping about on the wet decks as if enjoying their ducking, much amusement being caused when Mr McCarthy, for a joke, let the leach of the awning once go by the run, when, the American passenger being off his guard, some hundred gallons of water came down on him, giving the worthy gentleman an impromptu shower-bath.
The instant he raised it above his head to strike Frank, Mr Lathrope catching sight of it, had "drawn a bead on it," as he would have expressed it, without delay. "No, sirree, I guess not, as long as old Zach hain't forgot to handle the shootin'-irons!" he continued. "I fancy, mister, I've spiled your murdering little game; an' now we'll go in for a rough and tumble, I opine!"
We'll soon have to abandon her, although, I've no doubt, she'll keep afloat for some hours yet. I advise you, Mr Lathrope, to put on the warmest suit of clothes you've got, and get together any few little things that may be of use in a boat, as I'm going to do.
The spirit of penguinism, so to speak, was dead, the bird colony contenting themselves by grumbling, an infallible resource for all similarly constituted creatures in which respect, as Mr Lathrope was pleased to put it, they resembled a class of modern politicians who need not be alluded to here.
Indeed, as Mr Lathrope observed frequently when seated at the central table of their general room and disposing of the savoury residue of some gipsy stew of Snowball's concoction, during this period of plenty, which came in such pleasing contrast to their recent scarcity of provender, they were "living like fighting cocks, and no mistake!"
As for the cormorants, if you complained about the former birds having a fishy taste, you'll find these fishier still. However, to relieve your mind, I believe that there are a number of wild rabbits on the island, so we'll try to shoot some of those." "Bully for you!" exclaimed Mr Lathrope. "We'll go rabbit-hunting, mister, as soon as you please.
Hence, this very width of fifteen miles which we have to cross may be but half of it land and half water, so that, really, in that case, we should have only to haul the boat, or boats, over the intervening bits of terra firma in passing from sea to sea." "I guess, mister," said Mr Lathrope, "you mean what the lumber men on the Susquehanna and Red River call `making a portage, hey?"
"Ah, sorr!" replied Mr McCarthy with a heavy sigh and a troubled look in his usually merry twinkling grey eyes, "you'll never say another ship the likes of her again! If you'll belave me, Mister Lathrope, sorr, she'd sail ten knots on a bowline; and I'd like to know where you'd bate that now?"
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