Drinking steadily, until just manageably tipsy, he contrived to continue so; getting neither more nor less inebriated, but, to use his own phrase, remaining "just about right." When in this interesting state, he had a free lurch in his gait, a queer way of hitching up his waistbands, looked unnecessarily steady at you when speaking, and for the rest, was in very tolerable spirits.

At these times, moreover, he was exceedingly patriotic; and in a most amusing way, frequently showed his patriotism whenever he happened to encounter Dunk, a good-natured, square-faced Dane, aboard.
It must be known here, by the bye, that the cooper had a true sailor admiration for Lord Nelson.

But he entertained a very erroneous idea of the personal appearance of the hero.

Not content with depriving him of an eye and an arm, he stoutly maintained that he had also lost a leg in one of his battles.

Under this impression, he sometimes hopped up to Dunk with one leg curiously locked behind him into his right arm, at the same time closing an eye.
In this attitude he would call upon him to look up, and behold the man who gave his countrymen such a thrashing at Copenhagen.