these matters of squalls, we have the mainsail on her--'"

"You should have furl'd your mainsail too," exclaimed a voice from behind,
that was quite as dogmatical, though a little less grum, than that of the
loquacious boatswain.

"What know-nothing says that?" demanded Nightingale fiercely, as if all
his latent ire was excited by so rude and daring an interruption.

"A man who has run Africa down, from Bon to Good-Hope, more than once, and
who knows a white squall from a rainbow," returned Dick Fid, edging his
short person stoutly towards his furious adversary, making his way through
the crowd by which the important personage of the boatswain was environed
by dint of his massive shoulders; "ay, brother, and a man, know-much or
know-nothing, who would never advise his officer to keep so much
after-sail on a ship, when there was the likelihood of the wind taking her
aback."

To this bold vindication of an opinion which all present deemed to be so
audacious, there succeeded a general and loud murmur. Encouraged by this
evidence of his superior popularity, Nightingale was not slow, nor very
meek, with his retort; and then followed a clamorous concert, in which the
voices of the company in general served for the higher and shriller notes,
through which the bold and vigorous assertions, contradictions, and
opinions of the two principal disputants were heard running a
thorough-bass.

For some time, no part of the discussion was very distinct, so great was
the confusion of tongues; and there were certain symptoms of an intention,
on the part of Fid and the boatswain, to settle their controversy by the