"We were about to draw up a plan of the cruises to be taken this week and shall be glad to have your advice." "I'm afraid, gentlemen, I'm too weary to offer much advice.

But that need not prevent my listening with attention to the wisdom of others." There was the faintest shade of derision in his voice, if they had any cause for suspecting it.

As it was, however, not a man present had the slightest mistrust of him.

He had conquered all their prejudices.
The Commodore resumed the short speech he had been making; and when he had concluded, one captain followed another with criticism and fresh proposals--Captain Baudus, of _Le Paon_, the Chevalier de Sainte-Croix, of _La Merveille_, Captain Denoyre, of the _Sanspareil_.

During their speeches Captain Salt sat perfectly silent, either resting his head on his hands and stifling his yawns as though politely concealing his weariness, or drumming quietly with his fingers on the table and staring up at the ceiling like one lost in thought.
But, all of a sudden, as M.de la Pailletine was in the act of offering some remarks upon a scheme of Captain Denoyre's for a descent upon the Isle of Thanet, the Englishman, still yawning, got upon his legs and said very carelessly: "I regret to interrupt _M.