"Of slipping the cable!" cried the general, looking up suddenly. "Well, what was the drift?" "Why, sir, having no wings, I went down below, and soon found myself in the presence of the old gentleman himself." "That was pleasant--had he a tail? I have always been curious to know whether he really has a tail or not." "I saw none, sir, but then we stood face to face, like gentlemen, and I cannot describe what I did not see." "Was he glad to see you, commodore?" "Why, sir; he was civilly spoken, but his occupation prevented many compliments." "Occupation!" "Certainly, sir; he was cutting out shoes, for his imps to travel about in, in order to stir up mischief." "And did he set you to work?--This is a sort of State-Prison affair, after all!" "No sir, he was too much of a gentleman to set me at making shoes as soon as I arrived. He first inquired what part of the country I was from, and when I told him, he was curious to know what most of the people were about in our neighbourhood." "You told him, of course, commodore?" "Certainly, sir, I told him their chief occupation was quarrelling about religion; making saints of them selves, and sinners of their neighbours. 'Hollo!' says the Devil, calling out to one of his imps, 'boy, run and catch my horse--I must be off, and have a finger in that pie. What denominations have you in that quarter, commodore? So I told him, general, that we had Baptists, and Quakers, and Universalists, and Episcopalians, and Presbyterians, old-lights, new- lights, and blue-lights; and Methodists----. 'Stop,' said the Devil, 'that's enough; you imp, be nimble with that horse.--Let me see, commodore, what, part of the country did you say you came from?' I told him the name more distinctly this time----" "The very spot?" "Town and county." "And what did the Devil say to that?" "He called out to the imp, again--'Hollo, you boy, never mind that horse; _these_ people will all be here before I can get there.'" Here the commodore and the general began to laugh, until the arches of the forest rang with their merriment. Three times they stopped, and as often did they return to their glee, until, the punch being ready, each took a fresh draught, in order to ascertain if it were fit to be offered to the ladies. Chapter XX. "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" ROMEO AND JULIET. The usual effect of punch is to cause people to see double; but, on this occasion, the mistake was the other way, for two boats had touched the strand, instead of the one announced by the commodore, and they brought with them the whole party from the Wigwam, Steadfast and Aristabalus included. A domestic or two had also been brought to prepare the customary repast.