Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/146

 vinced me they were not of the bon ton of Philadelphia. The answers to all my questions were quick, pert, and given with an air of assumed consequence; at the same time I observed a mode of expression, which, though English, was not well-bred English.

"Did you come through the United States," said I, " into the British territory, or did you come by water?"

"Oh, by water," screamed all the girls at once, " and liked to have been eaten up with the nasty roaches."

I did not exactly know what was meant by "roaches," but it was explained to me soon after. I inquired whether they had seen a British man of war, and whether they would like to accompany me on board of that which I belonged to? They all screamed out at the same moment—

"No, we never have seen one; and should like to see it of all things. When will you take us?"