Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/107

 some respect for heavy objects; and yours, I am sure, to my cost, had very considerable specific gravity."

"That's very true, Sir; but you have no notion how much it was lightened the first day the ship got to sea. I was lying on it as sick as a whale—the first lieutenant and mate of the lower deck came down to see that the men's berths were clean; I, and my Noah's ark, lay slap in the way—' Who have we here?" said Mr. Handstone. 'Only Mr. Mildmay, and his chest, Sir,' said the serjeant of marines, into whose territory I acknowledge I had made very considerable encroachments. 'Only! repeated the lieutenant, 'I thought it had been one of the big stones for the new bridge, and the owner of it a drunken Irish hodsman.' I was toosick to care much about what they said."

"You forget your breakfast," said my sister.

"I'll thank you for another muffin, and another cup of coffee," said I.