Page:Cerise, a tale of the last century (IA cerisetaleoflast00whytrich).pdf/310

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of three fingers with alcohol, filling it up with the weaker fluid. When the thickness of a seaman's fingers is considered, and the breadth to which he can spread them out on such occasions, it is easy to conceive how little space is left near the rim of the vessel for that insipid element, every additional drop of which is considered by competent judges to spoil the beverage. Slap-Jack mixed as liberally as another. Ere his draught, however, was half-finished, or his report nearly concluded, the Captain had turned the hands up, and ordered a boat to be manned forthwith, leaving Beaudésir to command in his absence; but true to his usual system, informing no one, not even the latter, of his intentions, or his destination.