But offended dignity is seldom considerate, and not always
consistent.
"A quiet night, Master Miles"--_this_ the mate _could_ call
me, as it implied superiority on his part--"A quiet night, Master
Miles," commenced Mr. Marble, "and a strong westerly current,
accordin' to Captain Robbins. Well, to my taste gooseberries are
better than currents, and _I'd_ go about. That's my manner of
_generalizing_."
"The captain, I suppose, sir, from that, is of a different opinion?"
"Why, yes, somewhatish,--though I don't think he knows himself exactly
what his own opinion is. This is the third v'y'ge I've sailed with the
old gentleman, and he is half his time in a fog or a current. Now,
it's his idee the ocean is full of Mississippi rivers, and if one
could only find the head of a stream, he might go round the world in
it. More particularly does he hold that there is no fear of the land
when in a current, as a stream never sets on shore. For my part, I
never want any better hand-lead than my nose."
"Nose, Mr. Marble?"
"Yes, nose, Master Miles. Haven't you remarked how far we smelt the
Injees, as we went through the islands?"
"It is true, sir, the Spice Islands, and all land, they say--"
"What the devil's that?" asked the mate, evidently startled at
something he _heard_, though he appeared to _smell_ nothing,
unless indeed it might be a rat.
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