PUNT SHOOTING. 105 



all night, I feels pretty sharp, I can tell r e." A 

 piece of plum-pudding and a half-pint bottle of rum- 

 and-water was old Sam's allowance for the night, 

 and this he always took with him in his ammunition- 

 box, and said it seemed " to stick by him " better than 

 anything else. Having regaled himself with some 

 cold partridge-pie and a cup of hot tea, he began : 

 " Well, this is good luck ! I began to feel as if I 

 was half starving. But, oh dear ! to think of my 

 being here eating partridge-pie and drinking tea on 

 board your yacht. Why, the people at Kincardine 

 would think as I was a gentleman if they could only 

 see me. I have not tasted anything like this since 

 I was in Holland, and used to go with the Prince of 

 Orange and Lord John Scott." Then, all of a sudden, 

 changing the subject, he said, " Pray, sir, do you 

 think it wrong to swear ? " " Well, Sam," I said, 

 ''I've been told so. But why?" "Well, sir, do 

 you know, if I hadn't been able to have sweared I 

 do think I should have heaved her" (meaning his 

 gun) " overboard this morning ; but swearing seemed 

 to do me a sight of good, and I didn't." " What 

 were you going to throw her overboard for ? " said 

 I. "Well, you know, sir, I'd been out all night, and 

 precious cold it was. I'd ate all my pudding, and 



