UNCOMFORTABLY NEAR BEING THE LAST. 189 



Bkipper thought he would practise economy by buying a 

 turtle instead of beef. A large turtle was obtained for 

 twenty-five cents, and handed over to the cook to be 

 dealt with, particular instructions being given him as to 

 the apportionment of the meat. 



At eight bells there was a gathering of the men in 

 front of the poop, and a summons for the captain. 

 When he appeared, the usual stereotyped invitation to 

 " have a look at tliat, if you please, sir," was uttered. 

 The skipper was, I think, prepared for a protest, for he 

 began to bluster immediately. " Look here ! " he bawled, 

 ** I ain't goin' to 'ave any of your dam nonsense. You 

 want somethin' to growl about, you do." " Well, Cap'n 

 George," said one of the men, " you shorely don't think 

 we k'n eat shells, do yer ? " Just then I caught sight of 

 the kid's contents, and could hardly restrain my indig- 

 nation. For in a dirty heap, the sight of which might 

 have pleased an Esquimaux, but was certainly enough 

 to disgust any civilized man, lay the calipee, or under- 

 shell of the turtle, hacked into irregular blocks. It had 

 been simply boiled, and flung into the kid, an unclean, 

 disgusting heap of shell, with pieces of dirty flesh 

 attached in ragged lumps. But the skipper, red-faced 

 and angry, answered, " W'y, yer so-and-so ijits, that's 

 wot the Lord Mayor of London gives about a guinea a 

 hounce for w'en 'e feeds lords n' dooks. Only the haris- 

 tocracy at 'ome get a charnce to stick their teeth in such 

 grub as that. An' 'ere are you lot a-growlin' at 'avin' 

 it for a change ! " " That's all right, cap'n," said the 

 man ; " bein' brort up ter such lugsuries, of corse you 

 kin appreshyate it. So if yer keep it fer yer own eatin', 

 an' giv us wot we signed for, we shall be werry much 



obliged." *' Now, I ain't a-goin' to 'ave none o' your 

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