"It 'ud fling you overboard. Listen to its kickin'. You might as well try to prewent one o' Barclay Perkins' dray hosses from bustin' into a gallop by catchin' hold o' it's tail. It 'ud be a poor look-out for us to lose you, I can tell yer. What," continued the boatswain, energetically, "we want to know is that you're sleepin', and forgettin' all this here excitement in pleasing dreams. To see a lady like you knocked about by a gale o' wind is just one o' them things I have no fancy for. Mr. Royle, if I had a young and beautiful darter, and a Dook or a Barryonet worth a thousand a year, if that ain't sayin' too much, wos to propose marriage to her, an' ax her to come and be married to him in some fur-off place, wich 'ud oblige her to cross the water, blowed if I'd consent. No flesh an' blood o' mine as I had any kind o' feeling for should set foot on board ship without fust having a row with me. Make no mistake. I'm talkin' o' females, Miss. I say the sea ain't a fit place for women and gells. It does middlin' well for the likes of me and Mr. Royle here, as aren't afraid o' carryin' full-rigged ships and other agreeable dewices in gunpowder and Hindian ink on our harms, and is seasoned, as the sayin' is, to the wexations o' the mariner's life. But when it comes to young ladies crossin' the ocean, an' I don't care wot they goes as--as passengers or skippers' wives, or stewardishes, or female hemigrants--then I say it ain't proper, and if I'd ha' been a lawyer I'd ha' made it agin the law, and contrived such a Act of Paleyment as 'ud make the gent as took his wife, darter, haunt, cousin, grandmother, female nephey, or any relations in petticoats to sea along with him, wish hisself hanged afore he paid her passage money." I was so much impressed by this vehement piece of rhetoric, delivered with many convulsions of the face, and a great deal of hand-sawing, that I could not forbear mixing him some more brandy and water, which he drank at a draught, having first wished Miss Robertson and myself long life and plenty of happiness. His declamation had quite silenced her, though I saw by her eyes that she would renew her entreaties the moment she had me alone. "Then you'll go on deck, sir, and relieve Cornish, and I'll turn in?" observed the boatswain. "Yes." "Right," said he, and was going. I added: "We must sound the well again at half-past ten." "Aye! aye!" "I shan't be able to leave the wheel, and I would rather you should sound than Cornish. I'll send the steward to rouse you." "Very well," said he. And after waiting to hear if I had anything more to say, he entered his cabin, and in all probability was sound asleep two minutes after. Miss Robertson stood near the table, with her hands folded and her eyes bent down. I was about to ask her to withdraw to her cabin and get some sleep. "Mr. Royle, you are dreadfully tired and worn out, and yet you are going on deck to remain at the wheel for two hours." "That is nothing."