SaysI，`Don’tyoumindoldJones，sir；damnhissoul，he’susedtoit。’IcouldseedirectlyIhadshockedhisdelicateear，andwhilewesatatourfirsttiffintogetherhebegantofindfaultinanastymannerwiththisandthatintheship。IneverheardsuchavoiceoutofaPunchandJudyshow。Isetmyteethhard，andgluedmyeyestomyplate，andheldmypeaceaslongasIcould；butatleastIhadtosaysomething：
uphejumpstiptoeing，rufflingallhisprettyplumes，likealittlefightingcock。`You’llfindyouhaveadifferentpersontodealwiththanthelateCaptainBrierly。’`I’vefoundit，’saysI，veryglum，butpretendingtobemightybusywithmysteak。`Youareanoldruffian，Mr——aw——Jones；
andwhat’smore，youareknownforanoldruffianintheemploy，’hesqueaksatme。Thedamnedbottle-washersstoodaboutlisteningwiththeirmouthsstretchedfromeartoear。`Imaybeahardcase，’answersI，`butIain’tsofargoneastoputupwiththesightofyousittinginCaptainBrierly’schair。’WiththatIlaydownmyknifeandfork。`Youwouldliketositinityourself——that’swheretheshoepinches，’hesneers。Ileftthesaloon，gotmyragstogether，andwasonthequaywithallmydunnageaboutmyfeetbeforethestevedoreshadturnedtoagain。Yes。Adrift——onshore——aftertenyears’service——andwithapoorwomanandfourchildrensixthousandmilesoffdependingonmyhalfpayforeverymouthfultheyate。Yes，sir!
IchuckeditratherthanhearCaptainBrierlyabused。Heleftmehisnightglasses——heretheyare；andhewishedmetotakecareofthedog——hereheis。Hallo，Rover，poorboy。Where’sthecaptain，Rover？“Thedoglookedupatuswithmournfulyelloweyes，gaveonedesolatebark，andcreptunderthetable。
`Allthiswastakingplace，morethantwoyearsafterwards，onboardthatnauticalruintheFire-QueenthisJoneshadgotchargeof——quitebyafunnyaccident，too——fromMatherson——madMathersontheygenerallycalledhim——thesamewhousedtohangoutinHai-phong，youknow，beforetheoccupationdays。Theoldchapsnuffledon：