Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/142

 or third step on the stairs, Mrs. Margaret brought to, and fired, until both were quite out of range; a distant rumbling noise was heard, and the admiral concluded, by muttering that she might go ———, somewhere, but the word died between his teeth.

"There, admiral," said I, " did not I tell you that you would have a squall?"

"Squall! yes—d—m my blood," wiping his face; "how the spray flew from the old beldam! She's fairly wetted my trowsers, by God. Who'd ever thought that such a purring old b—h could have shewn such a set of claws!— War to the knife! By heavens, I'll make her remember this."

Notwithstanding the admiral's threat, hostilities ceased from that day. The cock-and-hen admiral found it convenient to shew a white feather; interest stood in the way, and barred him from taking his revenge. Mrs. Jellybag was a faithful servant, and our host neither liked that she should be interfered with, or that his house should become an arena for such