have his comb cut, and subside at once into a homely, helpless, henpecked, barndoor fowl.
But Alice would not say the word, neither to Captain Bold nor to any honester man. She had been true to her sailor-love, through a long weary time of anxiety, and now she had her reward. Slap-Jack was domiciled within a mile of her, by one of those unforeseen strokes of fortune which he called a "circumstance," and Alice thanked heaven on her knees day and night for the happiness of her lot.
It may be supposed that her sweetheart spent much of his leisure at the "Hamilton Arms." Though he got through half the work of Sir George's household, for the foretopman never could bear to be idle, his occupations did not seem so engrossing as to prevent a daily visit to Alice. It was on one of these occasions that, gossiping with Mrs. Dodge, as was his wont, he observed a gold cross heaving on her expansive bosom, and taxed her with a favoured lover and a speedy union forthwith.
"Go along with you," wheezed the jolly landlady, in no way offended by the accusation. "It's our new lodger as gave me this trinket only yesterday. Lovyers! say you. 'Marry!' as my poor Bob used to say, 'his head is not made of the wood they cut blocks from;' an' let me tell you, Master Slap-Jack, a man's never so near akin to a fool as when he's a-courting. Put that in your pipe, my lad, and smoke it. Why Alice, my poppet, how you blush! Well, as I was a sayin,' this is a nice civil gentleman, and a well spoken. Takes his bottle with his dinner, and, mind ye, he will have it o' the best. None of your ranting, random, come-by-chance roysterers, like Captain Bold, who'll sing as many songs and tell as many—well, lies I call 'em, honest gentleman—over a rummer of punch, as would serve most of my customers two gallons of claret and a stoup of brandy to finish up with."
"There's not much pith in that Captain Bold," interposed Slap-Jack, contemptuously. "You put a strain on him, and see if he don't start somewhere. Captain, indeed! It's a queer ship's company where they made him skipper, askin' your pardon, Mrs. Dodge."
Slap-Jack had on one occasion interrupted the captain
