`` You took me for a country Johnnie Raw , with no more mother-wit or courage than a porridge-stick . I took you for a good man , or no worse than others at the least . It seems we were both wrong . What cause you have to fear me , to cheat me , and to attempt my life -- '' He murmured something about a jest , and that he liked a bit of fun ; and then , seeing me smile , changed his tone , and assured me he would make all clear as soon as we had breakfasted . I saw by his face that he had no lie ready for me , though he was hard at work preparing one ; and I think I was about to tell him so , when we were interrupted by a knocking at the door . Bidding my uncle sit where he was , I went to open it , and found on the doorstep a half-grown boy in sea-clothes . He had no sooner seen me than he began to dance some steps of the sea-hornpipe -LRB- which I had never before heard of far less seen -RRB- , snapping his fingers in the air and footing it right cleverly . For all that , he was blue with the cold ; and there was something in his face , a look between tears and laughter , that was highly pathetic and consisted ill with this gaiety of manner . `` What cheer , mate ? '' says he , with a cracked voice . I asked him soberly to name his pleasure . `` O , pleasure ! '' says he ; and then began to sing : `` For it 's my delight , of a shiny night , In the season of the year . '' `` Well , '' said I , `` if you have no business at all , I will even be so unmannerly as to shut you out . '' `` Stay , brother ! '' he cried . `` Have you no fun about you ? or do you want to get me thrashed ? I 've brought a letter from old Heasyoasy to Mr. Belflower . '' He showed me a letter as he spoke .
`` And I say , XXXXX , '' he added , `` I 'm mortal hungry . ''
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