Thank ye a thousand times." "The old Irishwoman gave it me!" I said with some malice.

"She made me put it in my pocket, though she had given me a good meal before, for which she would take nothing." "It was leeberal of her," said Alister Auchterlay.

"Verra leeberal; but there are good Christians to be met with, amongst all sorts, there's not a doot aboot it." I should probably have pursued my defence of Biddy against this grudging--not to say insulting--tribute to her charity, if I had not begun to feel too tired to talk, and very much teased by the heaving of the vessel.
"I wish the ship would be quiet till we start," I said.

"We're not at sea yet." In reply to this Alister at some length, and with as much emphasis as whispering permitted, explained to me that a ship could not, in the nature of things, keep still, except in certain circumstances, such as being in dry dock for repairs or lying at anchor in absolutely still water.
"Good gracious!" I interrupted.

"Of course I know all that.