Ginger held the kettle and poured the water in the cups while she stirred
them, and old Sam sat looking on 'elpless.

"It does seem funny to see you drinking cocoa, captin," ses Ginger, as
old Sam took his cup.

"Ho!" ses Sam, firing up; "and why, if I might make so bold as to ask?"

"'Cos I've generally seen you drinking something out of a bottle," ses
Ginger.

"Now, look 'ere," ses Sam, starting up and spilling some of the hot cocoa
over 'is lap.

"A ginger-beer bottle," ses Peter Russet, making faces at Ginger to keep
quiet.

"Yes, o' course, that's wot I meant," ses Ginger.

Old Sam wiped the cocoa off 'is knees without saying a word, but his
weskit kept going up and down till Peter Russet felt quite sorry for 'im.

"There's nothing like it," he ses to Mrs. Finch. "It was by sticking to
ginger-beer and milk and such-like that Captain Small 'ad command of a
ship afore 'e was twenty-five."

"Lor'!" ses Mrs. Finch.

She smiled at old Sam till Peter got uneasy agin, and began to think
p'r'aps 'e'd been praising 'im too much.