"I was there! Yes; but I know you speak a hanged lie, if you say that," exclaimed Trundle. "What's that you say?" shouted Chissel, highly indignant at being told he lied before all his crew, though he doubtless would have cared very little about the matter, had the polite remark been made when the two were alone. Just then Mr Summers, who was the officer of the watch, sung out, "Hands about ship! Where's the boatswain?" "Never in his station," observed Chissel, as Trundle, call in mouth, was making his way forward. "And very little use when he is there," he added, either thinking the boatswain would not hear him, or caring very little if he did. Trundle caught the words just as he was going up the fore-ladder, and though he could not just then take his pipe from his mouth to utter a retort, he gave a fierce look with one of his ferrety eyes, which showed that he acknowledged himself deeply in his messmate's debt. His pipe sounded more shrill than usual, as he could not give any other vent to his feelings. "There'll be a row before long between those two heroes, just you mark that," said I to Dicky, as we both hurried off to our stations. "Ay," said he, giving me a wink; "and I think I can put a spoke in their wheel to help them along." It was near twelve o'clock, the ship being put about, the decks cleared up, and grog served out preparatory to dinner, when the boatswain made his appearance before the carpenter, his anger in no way appeased. "What's that you were saying about me, Mr Ichabod Chissel, I should like to know?" he exclaimed, in an irate tone. "Why, Mr Trundle, no man likes to have his ferocity (veracity?) doubted, and if you goes for to affirm that I'm a liar--I don't mince matters, you'll understand me,--why, all I've got to say is, that you're the biggest speaker of untruths as ever was born, whoever the mother was who got you. Put that in your pipe, Mr Trundle, and smoke it." This most insulting of all remarks increased tenfold the boatswain's rage, and the two would have come instantly to fisticuffs, but that, fortunately, at that moment the order to pipe to dinner was given. The boatswain's call came into requisition, and all hands, except the watch on deck, were soon busily employed in discussing the contents of a cask of beef, boasting of but a small proportion of fat or lean and a considerable superfluity of bone.