You may be able to retire." "You're a gentleman as is fond of his joke, Mr.Swann," returned the boarding-master, lugubriously.

"I wish I'd got that 'appy way of looking at things you 'ave." "I'm not joking, Smith," said the other, quietly.
Mr.Smith pondered and, stealing a side-glance at him, stood scraping his foot along the floor.
"There ain't nothing much to tell," he grumbled, "and, mind, the worst favour you could do to the cap'n would be to put it about how he was done.

He's gone for a little trip instead of 'is son, that's all." "Little trip!" repeated the other; "you call a whaling cruise a little trip ?" "No, no, sir," said Mr.Smith, in a shocked voice, "I ain't so bad as that; I've got some 'art, I hope.

He's just gone for a little trip with 'is old pal Hardy on the _Conqueror_.

Kybird's idea it was." "Don't you know it's punishable ?" demanded the shipbroker, recovering.
Mr.Smith shook his head and became serious.