"I understand you, you sooty fellow--here, drink this, and see if it will brighten up your wits. He's a regular turnpike, that fellow, every thing must pay toll." "Massa Cockle, I tell Missy O'Bottom dat you come soon as you hab two glass grog; 'pose you only drink one." "That won't do, Moonshine, for I'm just mixing my second; you must find out something better." "One glass grog, massa, gib no more dan one tought--dat you ab--" "Well, then, here's another.--Now recollect, before you drink it, you are to get me out of this scrape; if not, you get into a scrape, for I'll beat you as--as white as snow." "'Pose you no _wash_ nigger white, you no _mangle_ him white, Massa Cockle," added Moonshine. "The fellow's _ironing_ me, Bob, ar'n't he?" said Cockle, laughing. "Now, before you drink, recollect the conditions." "Drink first, sar, make sure of dat," replied Moonshine, swallowing off the brandy; "tink about it afterwards.--Eh! I ab it," cried Moonshine, who disappeared, and Cockle and I continued in conversation over our grog, which to sailors is acceptable in any one hour in the twenty-four. About ten minutes afterwards Cockle perceived Moonshine in the little front garden. "There's that fellow, Bob; what is he about?" "Only picking a nosegay, I believe," replied I, looking out of the window. "The rascal, he must be picking all my chrysanthemums. Stop him, Bob." But Moonshine vaulted over the low pales, and there was no stopping him. It was nearly an hour before he returned; and when he came in, we found that he was dressed out in his best, looking quite a dandy, and with some of his master's finest flowers, in a large nosegay, sticking in his waistcoat. "All right, sar, all right; dat last glass grog gib me fine idee; you neber ab more trouble bout Missy O'Bottom." "Well, let's hear," said Cockle. "I dress mysel bery 'pruce, as you see, massa. I take nosegay." "Yes, I see that, and be hanged to you." "Neber mind, Massa Cockle. I say to Missy O'Bottom, `Massa no able come, he very sorry, so he send me;' `well,' she say, `what you ab to say, sit down, Moonshine, you very nice man.' Den I say, `Massa Cockle lub you very much, he tink all day how he make you appy; den he say, Missy O'Bottom very fine 'oman, make very fine wife.' Den Missy O'Bottom say, `'Top a moment,' and she bring a bottel from cupboard, and me drink something did make 'tomach feel really warm; and den she say, `Moonshine, what you massa say?' den I say, massa say, `You fine 'oman, make good wife;' but he shake um head, and say, `I very old man, no good for noting; I tink all day how I make her appy, and I find out-- Moonshine, you young man, you 'andsome feller, you good servant, I not like you go away, but I tink you make Missy O'Bottom very fine 'usband; so I not care for myself, you go to Missy O'Bottom, and tell I send you, dat I part wid you, and give you to her for 'usband.'"