Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/227

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THE NAVAL OFFICER.
221

tinued his lies, and dragged in as usual the name of Sir Sydney Simth to support his assertions. "If you doubt me, only ask Sir Sydney Smith; he'll talk to you about Acre for thirty-six hours on a stretch, withouttaking breath; his cockswain at last got so tired of it, that he nick-named him 'Long Acre.'"

The poor doctor did not come off scot free; the next day, he discovered that the deck leaked over his cabin, and the water ran into his bed. He began, with a hammer and some nails, to fasten up a piece of painted canvas, by way of shelter. The captain heard the noise of the hammer, and finding it was the doctor, desired him to desist. The doctor replied, that he was only endeavouring to stop some leaks over his bed: the captain said they should not be stopped: for that a bed of leeks was a very good bed for a Welchman.

"There, Doctor; now we are quits: that's for your Dog Star. I suppose you think nobody