"Not much to offer you, Dr. Munro, sir. The hind leg
of a ---- duck, and a sailor's welcome. Not Royal
Navy, sir, though I have a ---- sight better manners than
many that are. No, sir, I fly no false colours, and put
no R. N. after my name; but I'm the Queen's servant, by
----! No mercantile marine about me! Have a wet, sir!
It's the right stuff, and I have drunk enough to know the
difference."
Well, as the supper progressed I warmed with the
liquor and the food, and I told my new acquaintance all
about my plans and intentions. I didn't realise how
lonely I had been until I found the pleasure of talking.
He listened to it all with much sympathy, and to my
horror tossed off a whole tumbler-full of neat whisky to
my success. So enthusiastic was he that it was all I
could do to prevent him from draining a second one.
"You'll do it, Dr. Munro, sir!" he cried. "I know a
man when I see one, and you'll do it. There's my hand,
sir! I'm with you! You needn't be ashamed to grasp it,
for by ----, though I say it myself, it's been open to
the poor and shut to a bully ever since I could suck
milk. Yes, sir, you'll make a good ship-mate, and
I'm ---- glad to have you on my poop.
For the remainder of the evening his fixed delusion
was that I had come to serve under him; and he read me
long rambling lectures about ship's discipline, still
always addressing me as "Dr. Munro.
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