A dish of roasted meat was lying before him, and his eyes fairly glared as he turned them from me to the viand, in a way to render it a little doubtful whether I was a welcome visitor.

But that honest old principle of seamen which never refuses to share equally with an ancient mess-mate, got the better even of his voracity.
"Sit down, Sir John," the captain cried, without ceasing to masticate, "and make no bones of it.

To own the fact, the latter are almost as good as the flesh.

I never tasted a sweeter morsel!" I did not wait for a second invitation, the reader may be sure; and in less than ten minutes the dish was as clear as a table that had been swept by harpies.

As this work is intended for one in which truth is rigidly respected, I shall avow that I do not remember any cultivation of sentiment which gave me half so much satisfaction as that short and hurried repast.