"There's another coincydunce for you!" On hearing this we all clapped hands, and the Captain, with a degree of ceremony that was almost painful, drank a bumper to the health and happiness of the bride and bridegroom.
It was a pleasant sight to see the two old lovers sitting side by side, in spite of all, drinking from the same little cup--a battered zinc dipper which Sailor Ben had unslung from a strap round his waist.

I think I never saw him without this dipper and a sheath-knife suspended just back of his hip, ready for any convivial occasion.
We had a merry time of it.

The Captain was in great force this evening, and not only related his famous exploit in the War of 1812, but regaled the company with a dashing sea-song from Mr.Shakespeare's play of The Tempest.

He had a mellow tenor voice (not Shakespeare, but the Captain), and rolled out the verse with a will: "The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I, The gunner, and his mate, Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery, But none of us car'd for Kate." "A very good song, and very well sung," says Sailor Ben; "but some of us does care for Kate.

Is this Mr.Shawkspear a seafarin' man, sir ?" "Not at present," replied the Captain, with a monstrous twinkle in his eye.
The clock was striking ten when the party broke up.