assistant was stirring an exceedingly savory mess that he had concocted of the ingredients to be found in the united larders of the Swash and the Mexican schooner. “Stephen Spike is a capital willian!” exclaimed Jack, smelling at a ladle filled with his soup—“a capital willian, I call him. To think, at his time of life, of such a handsome and pleasant young thing as this Rose Budd; and then to try to get her by underhand means, and by making a fool of her silly old aunt. It’s wonderful what fools some old aunts be! Quite wonderful! If I was as great a simpleton as this Mrs. Budd, I’d never cross my threshold. Yes, Stephen Spike is a prodigious willian, as his best friend must own! Well, I gave him a thump on the head that he’ll not forget this v’y’ge. To think of carryin’ off that pretty Rose Budd in his very arms, in so indecent a manner! Yet, the man has his good p’ints, if a body could only forget his bad ones. He’s a first-rate seaman. How he worked the brig till he doubled the reef, a’ter she got into open water; and how he made her walk off afore the wind, with stun’sails alow and aloft, as soon as ever he could make ’em draw! My life for it, he’ll tire the legs of Uncle Sam’s man, afore he can fetch up with him. For running away, when hard chased, Stephen Spike hasn’t his equal on ’arth. But, he’s a great willian—a prodigious willian! I cannot say I actually wish him hanged; but I would rather have him hanged than see him get pretty Rose in his power. What has he to do with girls of nineteen? If the rascal is one year old he’s fifty-six. I hope the sloop-of-war will find her match, and I think she will. The Molly’s a great traveler, and not to be outdone easily. ’Twould be a thousand pities so lovely a craft should be cut off in the flower of her days, as it might be, and I _do_ hope she’ll lead that bloody sloop on some sunken rock.”