One of them was very bald, and appeared to be a perpetual laughing-stock for the rest.
[Footnote 4: Twenty dollars.] "Well, Ike," shouted one of his companions between two pulls of a small black bottle, "you _hev_ got a skatin' rink on to the top of _your_ head, and no _mistake_".

The other grinned, and retorted to the effect that it was better to have the outside smooth than the inside soft.
"Well, I guess you got both, like a water-melon," returned the first speaker.
There are seldom more than one or two passengers on the Custom-House tug, and on this occasion the Duke was alone.

He could not stand the atmosphere of tobacco and whisky in the cabin, and made his way along the side to the engine-room, leaving the Custom-House men to their smoke and their repartee.
It was almost five o'clock, and already nearly dark, when they came up with the great steamer.

In five minutes the Duke was over the side, hurrying down to find his friend.

Not seeing him anywhere, he found the bursar and inquired for Dr.Claudius.The officer replied that he had not made his acquaintance on the voyage, but offered the Duke a list of the passengers, remarking that the ship was unusually crowded for the time of year.
The Duke ran his finger down the list, then thinking he had missed the name he sought, he held the paper close to the lamp.