Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/229

 as he sat up on his couch. "I never in all my born days dreamt such a sweet smell of coffee and fried sausages. Why, the old 'ooman 's a-bringin' of 'em in, I do declare. Pinch me, Stumps, to see if I 'm awake!"

As Stumps was still asleep, Slagg himself resorted to the method referred to, and roused his comrade. In a few minutes they were all seated at breakfast with the exception of the sailor, whom it was thought best to leave to his repose until nature should whisper in his ear.

"Well now," said Slagg, pausing to rest for a few seconds, "if we had a submarine cable 'tween this and England, and we was to give 'em an account of all we 've seen an' bin doin', they 'd never believe it."

"Cer'nly not. They 'd say it wos all a passel o' lies," remarked Stumps; "but I say, Mr. Sam—"

"Come now, Stumps, don't 'Mister' me any more."

"Well, I won't do it any more, though 'tain't easy to change one's 'abits. But how is it, sir, that that there electricity works? That 's what I wants to know. Does the words run along the cable,—or 'ow?"

"Of course they do, Stumpy," interrupted Slagg, "they run along the cable like a lot o' little tight-rope dancers, an' when they come to the end o 't