“On the contrary, I do assure you I begin to feel myself quite an antediluvian,” returned the Rover coolly placing himself at the opposite side of the table, where he might, from time to time, look his half-disgusted companion full in the eye: “Would you imagine it, sir? I shall have reached the age of three-and-twenty, if I live through the day.” “I had given you a few more years, young gentleman; but London can ripen the human face as speedily as the Equator.” “You never said truer words, sir. Of all cruising grounds, Heaven defend me from that of St. James’s! I do assure you, Bignall, the service is quite sufficient to wear out the strongest constitution. There were moments when I really thought I should have died that humble, disagreeable mortal—a lieutenant!” “Your disease would then have been a galloping consumption!” muttered the indignant old seaman. “They have sent you out in a pretty boat at last, Captain Howard.” “She’s bearable, Bignall, but frightfully small. I told my father, that, if the First Lord didn’t speedily regenerate the service, by building more comfortable vessels, the navy would get altogether into vulgar hands. Don’t you find the motion excessively annoying in these single-deck’d ships, Bignall?” “When a man has been tossing up and down for five-and-forty years, Captain Howard,” returned his host, stroking his gray locks, for want of some other manner of suppressing his ire, “he gets to be indifferent whether his ship pitches a foot more or a foot less.” “Ah! that, I dare say, is what one calls philosophical equanimity, though little to my humour. But, after this cruise, I am to be posted; and then I shall make interest for a guard-ship in the Thames; every thing goes by interest now-a-days, you know, Big-nail.” The honest old tar swallowed his displeasure as well as he could; and, as the most effectual means of keeping himself in a condition to do credit to his own hospitality, he hastened to change the subject. “I hope, among other new fashions, Captain Howard,” he said, “the flag of Old England continues to fly over the Admiralty. You wore the colours of Louis so long this morning, that another half hour might have brought us to loggerheads.” “Oh! that was an excellent military ruse! I shall certainly write the particulars of that deception home.” “Do so; do so, sir; you may get knighthood for the exploit.” “Horrible, Bignall! my Lady mother would faint at the suggestion. Nothing so low has been in the family, I do assure you, since the time when chivalry was genteel.” “Well, well, Captain Howard, it was happy for us both that you got rid of your Gallic humour so soon; for a little more time would have drawn a broadside from me. By heavens, sir, the guns of this ship would have gone off of themselves, in another five minutes!” “It is quite happy as it is.—What do you find to amuse you (yawning) in this dull quarter of the world, Bignall?”