and lumpers hanging about. They may have reformed the land and the landsmen, but Jack would retain many of his characteristics; salt water made these men what they were in my day, and salt water would retain its hold on them to the last." I got to be quite confident in this belief. I actually grew so certain of it that I chuckled to myself and rubbed my hands together in delight, thinking that now I would have a chance of having a "rise" out of the Recorder. Now I would be able to say to him:—"My good friend, in naval matters at least you are to a very large extent indebted to the intelligence of the despised ancients." I noticed that the Recorder also looked very happy, and I felt that this must be due to his knowledge of what was passing through my mind. I was confident that he, being a very benevolent man, was happy, because I was at last to see something that nearly resembled what I had known, as ships, docks, sailors and lumpers, and all the other things in connection with docks that existed in my previous life.
