No offence to you, sir; it wasn't you as was the goose." Master Tugwell rubbed his pockets with a very pleasant smile, and then put his elbows on his great square knees, and complacently studied the lieutenant's smaller mind.
"I can understand how you could do such a thing," said Scudamore, after he had rubbed his eyes, and then looked away for fear of laughing, "but I cannot understand by what power on earth you are enabled to look at me and tell me this.

For nine days you have been paid every night, and paid pretty well, as you yourself acknowledge, to haul a ship off a shoal; and all the time you have been hauling her harder upon it!" "Young man," replied Tugwell, with just indignation, "a hofficer should be above such words.

But I forgive 'e, and hope the Lord will do the same, with allowance for youth and ill-convenience.

I might 'a knowed no better, at your age and training." "But what were you paid for, just answer me that, unless it was to pull the Blonde off the sand-bank?
And how can you pretend that you have done an honest thing by pulling her further upon the bank ?" "I won't ask 'e, sir, to beg my pardon for saying what never man said to me, without reading the words of the contraction;" Zeb pulled out a paper from his hat, and spread it, and laid a stone at every corner; "this contraction was signed by yourself and Squire Darling, for and on behalf of the kingdom; and the words are for us to give our services, to pull, haul, tow, warp, or otherwise as directed, release, relieve, set free, and rescue the aforesaid ship, or bark, or vessel, craft, or--" "Please not to read all that," cried Scuddy, "or a gale of wind may come before you are half-way through.

It was Admiral Darling's lawyer, Mr.
Furkettle, who prepared it, to prevent any chance of misunderstanding." "Provided always," continued Tugwell, slowly, "and the meaning, condition, purport, object, sense, and intention of this agreement is, that the aforesaid Zebedee Tugwell shall submit in everything to the orders, commands, instructions, counsel, directions, injunctions, authority, or discretion, whether in writing or otherwise, of the aforesaid--" "I would not interrupt you if I could help it"-- Scudamore had a large stock of patience (enhanced by laborious practice at Stonnington), but who might abide, when time was precious, to see Zebedee feeling his way with his fingers along the bottom and to the end of every word, and then stopping to congratulate himself at the conquest of every one over two syllables?
"But excuse me for saying that I know all these conditions; and the tide will be lost, if we stop here." "Very good, sir; then you see how it standeth.