Two or three wags, aware of his infirmity, used to "draw him out" in conversation whenever the most crabbed and choleric old seamen were present.
To give an instance.

The watch below, just waked from their sleep, are all at breakfast; and Ropey, in one corner, is disconsolately partaking of its delicacies.

"Now, sailors newly waked are no cherubs; and therefore not a word is spoken, everybody munching his biscuit, grim and unshaven.

At this juncture an affable-looking scamp--Flash Jack--crosses the forecastle, tin can in hand, and seats himself beside the land-lubber.
"Hard fare this, Ropey," he begins; "hard enough, too, for them that's known better and lived in Lun'nun.

I say now, Ropey, s'posing you were back to Holborn this morning, what would you have for breakfast, eh ?" "Have for breakfast!" cried Ropey in a rapture.