Chapter 6 - Page 2

mentioned, and unfortunately for the
interest of his propensity, not only the steward, but all on board, had,
as it is expressed in slang language, early taken the measure of his foot.
The result of his present application was the following brief dialogue.

"Steward," called out Mr. Dodge, through the blinds of his state-room;
"whereabouts are we?"

"In the British Channel, sir."

"I might have guessed that, myself."

"So I s'pose, sir; nobody is better at guessing and divining than Mr.
Dodge."

"But in what part of the Channel are we, Saunders?"

"About the middle, sir."

"How far have we come to night?"

"From Portsmouth Roads to this place, sir."

Mr. Dodge was satisfied, and the steward, who would not have dared to be
so explicit with any other cabin-passenger, continued coolly to mix an
omelette. The next attack was made from the same room, by Sir George
Templemore.

"Steward, my good fellow, do you happen to know whereabouts we are?"

"Certainly, sir; the land is still werry obwious."

"Are we getting on cleverly?"

"_Nicely_, sir;" with a mincing emphasis on the first word, that betrayed
there was a little waggery about the grave-looking mulatto.

"And the sloop-of-war, steward?"

"Nicely too, sir."

There was a shuffling in the state-room, followed by a silence. The door
of Mr. Sharp's room was now opened an inch or two, and the following
questions issued through the crevice:

"Is the wind favourable, steward?"

"Just her character, sir."

"Do you mean that the wind is favourable?"

"For the Montauk, sir; she's a persuader in this breeze."

"But is she going in the direction we wish?"

"If the gentleman wishes to perambulate America, it is probable he will
get there with a little patience."

Mr. Sharp pulled-to his door, and ten minutes passed without further
questions; the steward beginning to hope the morning catechism was over,
though he grumbled a wish that gentlemen would "turn out" and take a look
for themselves. Now, up to this moment, Saunders knew no more, than those
who had just been questioning him of the particular situation of the ship,
in which he floated as indifferent to the whereabouts and the winds, as
men sail in the earth along its orbit, without bethinking them of
parallaxes, nodes, ecliptics, and solstices. Aware that it was about time
for the captain to be heard, he sent a subordinate on deck, with a view to
be ready to meet the usual questions from his