right into his mouth, and he fell, and his own men trod him underfoot,
and on we went, hammer and tongs. By this time the boarding of the
launch and pinnace to leeward, for they could not get up as soon as we
did, created a divarsion, and bothered the Frenchman, who hardly knew
which way to turn; however, as there were more of our men on the other
side, they most on 'em faced about; and the French officer was then able
to get on his knees again, and while I was busy and did not see him he
just give me this cut across the figure-head, which don't add to my
beauty, anyhow. Well, it was cut for cut, messmate. I just took one look
at the beggar, and I drove my cutlass into his skull, just as he was
rising up, and he never rose again. That's my story."

"I suppose you took the craft?"

"Yes; and her consort, too. But many lost the number of their mess, and
I lost all my beauty. Just hand me the 'baccy, messmate; and, Jack, go
for the next pot of beer."

I found them both smoking in silence when I returned; but, after a few
minutes, my father said, "Messmate, as I have told you how I got this
chalk, suppose you tell me in return how you got that nose of yours
fixed so hard a starboard? That's fair play."

"Exactly so," replied Ben. "Why, d'ye see? I sarved most of my early
life in the whaling line. I was three voyages to the north; but taking
the black whale counts for nothing; you must go south arter the
sparmacitty if you wish to see sport."

"I never was in that line," replied my father; "but I've heard fellows
spin the devil's own yarns about it."