Page:Australian Emigrant 1854.djvu/42

26 all but in his grasp, or rather between his teeth. The petty officer left the poop, and the tall passenger gave the steersman a couple of cigars. "Thank you, Sir, kindly" he said, "you'll scarcely believe that I've been redooced to the needcessity of chawing old junk, with straw and hay for wariety's sake, until (here he became quite confidential again) I actilly felt summat going wrong in my breadbasket. — Ah! Sir, it's a fact I'm telling on you," and a melancholy shake of the head confirmed it.

The tall passenger appeared moved at the recital of Jack's utter destitution—"poor fellow!" he said, as he turned away to continue his exercise.

"Before you go," said Jack, "may I be so bould as to ax you, respectfully, o'course, Sir, and not meaning no harm, just to sniggle up the ends o'your cigars in this here little article (handing a steel tobacco box) when you've done with 'em and can't smoke 'em no shorter: perhaps they may hact as a hantidote to the junk." "No! no!" said the good natured passenger in evident disgust:—"no, I say," as Jack thrust the box into his hand: "I'll give you a cigar now and then instead."

"May you never want baccy, Sir, nor a glas o'grog to wash your mouth with when you've been using it," said Jack, taking a portion of one of the cigars from his mouth and carefully depositing the same in his box. The tall passenger, however, did not take the hint intended, as conveyed in Jack's words and actions.