put them at their ease in a moment. I think he must have got the
trick out of his pipe. But in reality, I seldom think about how I
ought to talk to anybody I am with.

That I didn't smoke myself was no reason why I should not help Old
Rogers to smoke. So I pulled out the tobacco.

"You smoke, don't you, Rogers?" I said.

"Well, sir, I can't deny it. It's not much I spend on baccay,
anyhow. Is it, dame?

"No, that it bean't," answered his wife.

"You don't think there's any harm in smoking a pipe, sir?"

"Not the least," I answered, with emphasis.

"You see, sir," he went on, not giving me time to prove how far I
was from thinking there was any harm in it; "You see, sir, sailors
learns many ways they might be better without. I used to take my pan
o' grog with the rest of them; but I give that up quite, 'cause as
how I don't want it now."

"'Cause as how," interrupted his wife, "you spend the money on tea
for me, instead. You wicked old man to tell stories!"

"Well, I takes my share of the tea, old woman, and I'm sure it's a
deal better for me. But, to tell the truth, sir, I was a little
troubled in my mind about the baccay, not knowing whether I ought to