What cause you have to fear me, to cheat me, and to attempt my life--" He murmured something about a jest, and that he liked a bit of fun; and then, seeing me smile, changed his tone, and assured me he would make all clear as soon as we had breakfasted.

I saw by his face that he had no lie ready for me, though he was hard at work preparing one; and I think I was about to tell him so, when we were interrupted by a knocking at the door.
Bidding my uncle sit where he was, I went to open it, and found on the doorstep a half-grown boy in sea-clothes.

He had no sooner seen me than he began to dance some steps of the sea-hornpipe (which I had never before heard of far less seen), snapping his fingers in the air and footing it right cleverly.

For all that, he was blue with the cold; and there was something in his face, a look between tears and laughter, that was highly pathetic and consisted ill with this gaiety of manner.
"What cheer, mate ?" says he, with a cracked voice.
I asked him soberly to name his pleasure.
"O, pleasure!" says he; and then began to sing: "For it's my delight, of a shiny night, In the season of the year." "Well," said I, "if you have no business at all, I will even be so unmannerly as to shut you out." "Stay, brother!" he cried.

"Have you no fun about you?
or do you want to get me thrashed?
I've brought a letter from old Heasyoasy to Mr.
Belflower." He showed me a letter as he spoke.