You've blue skies and clear ones where you're going, except when it rains, and when it does there is no mistake about it." The speaker was the captain of the Lizzie Anderson, a fine sailor-like man of some fifty years, of which near forty had been spent in the service of the Company.
"I'm not a Londoner," Charlie said, smiling, "and have no regret for leaving its smoke.

Do you think we shall make a quick voyage ?" "I hope so," the captain said, "but it all depends upon the wind.

A finer ship never floated than the Lizzie Anderson; but the Company don't build their vessels for speed, and it's no use trying to run, when you meet a Frenchman.

Those fellows understand how to build ships, and if they could fight them as well as they build them, we should not long be mistress of the sea." Most of the people on board appeared to know each other, and Charlie felt rather lonely, till the doctor came up and began to chat with him.

He told him who most of his fellow passengers were: "That gentleman there, walking on the other side of the deck, as if not only the ship but the river and banks on both sides belonged to him, is one of the council.