After long argument, Paul was generally made referee.

One evening during the dog watch he could hear a violent debate in the forecastle and wondered to himself what ridiculous question would now be presented to him for decision.

He was quickly enlightened by seeing two of the sea-lawyers approaching the quarter deck.

One of them was named Hiram Young, a very ignorant but positive American sailor, the other named Daniel Sneers, an Englishman equally ignorant and if possible more positive.

When they neared the quarter deck Paul asked: "Well what is it ?" "We want you to decide a question sir," said Young, "this 'ere Sneers says and maintains as what England put in a challenge in the paper and kept it in for six months, offering to fight any country on the face of the earth, and I argues as she never put it in a American paper or she would a' been snapped up like that," demonstrating his remark by snapping his forefinger and thumb.
Paul tried to show them the difference between nations and prize fighters, but neither of them seemed thoroughly satisfied with the explanation given.