Part 1 (2/2)
He had scarcely left when a tap at the door announced a second visitor.
”Hum! Another `tail,' I suppose. Come in.”
If the new-comer _was_ a ”tail,” he was decidedly a long one, being six feet three in his stockings at the very least.
”You wants a cook, I b'lieve?” said the man, pulling off his hat.
”I do. Are you one?”
”Yes, I jist guess I am. Bin a cook for fifteen year.”
”Been to sea as a cook?” inquired the captain.
”I jist have. Once to the South Seas, twice to the North, an' once round the world. Cook all the time. I've roasted, and stewed, and grilled, and fried, and biled, right round the 'arth, I have.”
Being apparently satisfied with the man's account of himself, Captain Dunning put to him the question--”Do you drink?”
”Ay, like a fish; for I drinks nothin' but water, I don't. Bin born and raised in the State of Maine, d'ye see, an' never tasted a drop all my life.”
”Very good,” said the captain, who plumed himself on being a clever physiognomist, and had already formed a good opinion of the man. ”Do you ever swear?”
”Never, but when I can't help it.”
”And when's that?”
”When I'm fit to bu'st.”
”Then,” replied the captain, ”you must learn to bu'st without swearin', 'cause I don't allow it aboard my s.h.i.+p.”
The man evidently regarded his questioner as a very extraordinary and eccentric individual; but he merely replied, ”I'll try;” and after a little further conversation an agreement was come to; the man was sent away with orders to repair on board immediately, as everything was in readiness to ”up anchor and away next morning.”
Having thus satisfactorily and effectually disposed of the ”tail,”
Captain Dunning put on his hat very much on the back of his head, knit his brows, and pursed his lips firmly, as if he had still some important duty to perform; then, quitting the hotel, he traversed the streets of the town with rapid strides.
CHAPTER TWO.
IMPORTANT PERSONAGES ARE INTRODUCED TO THE READER--THE CAPTAIN MAKES INSANE RESOLUTIONS, FIGHTS A BATTLE, AND CONQUERS.
In the centre of the town whose name we have declined to communicate, there stood a house--a small house--so small that it might have been more appropriately, perhaps, styled a cottage. This house had a yellow-painted face, with a green door in the middle, which might have been regarded as its nose, and a window on each side thereof, which might have been considered its eyes. Its nose was, as we have said, painted green, and its eyes had green Venetian eyelids, which were half shut at the moment Captain Dunning walked up to it as if it were calmly contemplating that seaman's general appearance.
There was a small garden in front of the house, surrounded on three sides by a low fence. Captain Dunning pushed open the little gate, walked up to the nose of the house, and hit it several severe blows with his knuckles. The result was that the nose opened, and a servant-girl appeared in the gap.
”Is your mistress at home?” inquired the captain.
”Guess she is--both of 'em!” replied the girl.
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