United States or Egypt ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
It's all very well when it's a smart young sprig of an apprentice or midshipman, as they call themselves that she can laugh and talk with; but it's a different matter with us poor shell-backs. The swells won't have anything to say to its."
With him as witnesses went one or two beach men of the old school, wind-and sun-tanned old shell-backs, with voices like a fog-horn, and that entire lack of self-consciousness which is characteristic of simplicity and good breeding.
"Now, as luck would have it as some folks say, although others put it down to something more than luck Mr Stanchion wasn't like one of those jolly, devil-may-care, slap-dash sort of officers, that your regular shell-backs like best.
He hailed the Culpepper and desired to know what was wanted. "Why one of your shell-backs insulted me," was the answer that floated across the water. "What did he say?" inquired Captain Moore. "Why he told me to wait till the water boiled and he would come aboard and shave me," thundered the angry captain of the Culpepper.
Hozier heard him reading the Riot Act to the shell-backs who were supposed to keep a sharp lookout ahead. But the captain did not monopolize the conversation. His deep notes rumbled only at intervals. The men had something to say. He returned to the bridge.
"Thank'e, Sir Thomas, thank'e, sir; you're a gentleman of the right sort, you are ay, and a good fighter too, sir; we shan't forget how you went with us into that village, away yonder, to help save them poor `shell-backs'," and so on, and so on.
There's been some crookedness about, no doubt of it; but, law bless you! if we dropped upon the troupe, all the premier artists would slip right out with the boodle in their grip-sacks, and you'd only collar a lot of old mutton-headed shell-backs that didn't know the back of the business from the front.
"And I'm pleased you take that view; for I've turned kind of soft upon the job. There's been some crookedness about, no doubt of it; but, Law bless you! if we dropped upon the troupe, all the premier artists would slip right out with the boodle in their grip-sacks, and you'd only collar a lot of old mutton-headed shell-backs that didn't know the back of the business from the front.
At last the jailer called out: 'Who's there? We gave our names, when he exclaimed: 'Now if you blasted shell-backs can't get home at a reasonable hour, you can stay out. This is the last time I will be disturbed from my slumbers to let you in." The three worthies implored Paul to take them away on the Cayosa. I referred them to the negro captain.
The pleasant race of sailor men, of shell-backs, such as those who swung the yards and tallied on to the halliards of the Ariadne, may or may not have become extinct, and given place to a breed of sea-going mechanics, who protect their feet by means of rubber boots when washing decks down in the morning. In any case, I met none of the old salted variety among the Oronta's multitudinous crew.
Word Of The Day