Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/131

 Sir Hurricane was employed on something, but I could not distinctly make oyt what. He had a boot between his knees and the calves of his legs, which he pressed together, and as he turned his head round, I perceived that he held a knife between his teeth.

"Leave the door open, messmate," said he, without taking the least notice of me. Then rising, he drew a large, black, tom cat, by the tail, out of the boot, and flinging it away from him to a great distance, which distance was rapidly increased by the voluntary exertion of the cat, which ran away as if it had been mad,

"There," said he, "and be d—d to you, you have given me more trouble than a whole Kentucky farm-yard; but I shall not lose my sleep any more, by your d—d caterwauling." All this was pronounced as if he had not seen me—in fact, it was a soliloquy, for the cat did not stay to hear it. "Ah!" said he, holding out his hand to me, "how do you do? I