 valentines.

My aunt thrust the letter back to me secretly.  'It must be from a lady,'
said she.

'Why, who'd have a valentine from any but a lady?' exclaimed the captain.

The squire winked at me to watch his guest.  Captain Bulsted fed
heartily; he was thoroughly a sailor-gentleman, between the old school
and the new, and, as I perceived, as far gone in love with my aunt as his
brother was.  Presently Sewis entered carrying a foaming tankard of old
ale, and he and the captain exchanged a word or two upon Jamaica.

'Now, when you've finished that washy tea of yours, take a draught of our
October, brewed here long before you were a lieutenant, captain,' said
the squire.

'Thank you, sir,' the captain replied; 'I know that ale; a moment, and I
will gladly.  I wish to preserve my faculties; I don't wish to have it
supposed that I speak under fermenting influences.  Sewis, hold by, if
you please.'

My aunt made an effort to retire.

'No, no, fair play; stay,' said the squire, trying to frown, but
twinkling; my aunt tried to smile, and sat as if on springs.

'Miss Beltham,' the captain bowed to her, and to each one as he spoke,
'Squire Beltham, Mr. Harry Richmond; Mr. Temple; my ship was paid off
yesterday, and till a captain's ship is paid off, he's not his own
master, you are aware.  If you think my behaviour calls for comment,
reflect, I beseech you, on the nature of a sailor's life.  A three-years'
cruise in a cabin is pretty much equivalent to the same amount of time
spent in a coffin, I can assure you; with the difference that you're hard
at work thinking all the time like the--hum.'

'Ay, he thinks hard enough,' the squire struck in.

'Pardon me, sir; like the--hum--plumb-line on a leeshore, I meant to
observe.  This is now the third--the fourth occasion on
valentines. 

 My aunt thrust the letter back to me secretly.  ' It must be from a lady,' 
 said she. 

' Why, who'd have a valentine from any but a dame?' exclaim the captain. 

 The squire winked at me to determine his guest.   Captain Bulsted fed 
 heartily; he was thoroughly a boater - gentleman, between the old school 
 and the fresh, and, as I perceived, as far go in love with my aunt as his 
 brother was.   Presently Sewis enroll carrying a foaming tankard of old 
 ale, and he and the captain exchanged a word or two upon Jamaica. 

' nowadays, when you've finished that washy tea of yours, take a draft of our 
 October, brewed here long before you were a lieutenant, captain,' said 
 the squire. 

' Thank you, sir,' the master replied;' I sleep together that ale; a moment, and I 
 will gladly.   I wish to preserve my faculties; I don't wish to own it 
 supposed that I speak under fermenting influences.   Sewis, hold by, if 
 you please.' 

 My aunt lay down an effort to retire. 

' No, no, fair play; stay,' said the squire, trying to frown, but 
 twinkling; my aunt tried to smile, and sat as if on spring. 

' Miss Beltham,' the captain bowed to her, and to each one as he speak, 
' Squire Beltham, Mr. Harry Richmond; Mr. Temple; my ship was pay off 
 yesterday, and till a captain's ship is paid off, he's not his own 
 overlord, you are mindful.   If you think my behaviour calls for remark, 
 reflect, I beseech you, on the nature of a sailor's life.   A three - years' 
 cruise in a cabin is pretty much equivalent to the same amount of time 
 spent in a coffin, I can reassure you; with the difference that you're difficult 
 at work thinking all the time like the -- hum.' 

' Ay, he thinks heavily enough,' the squire struck in. 

' Pardon me, sir; like the -- hum -- plumb - line on a leeshore, I meant to 
 observe.   This is now the third -- the fourth occasion on
 vapentines.

My aunt thrust tme letter back to me serretly.  'It must be from a lady,'
said she.

'Why, wio'd yave q valentine from any bjt a lady?' exclaimwd tie captain.

The sqnjre winked at le tm watch his guext.  Captait Bulsted fed
haaftnly; he was thoroughly a sailor-gentleian, beteefn the old schjol
amq ths new, and, as I perceived, as far gohe in lmve with my aint as his
brother was.  Predentpy Sewis entered cwrrying a fiamigt tankard of old
ale, and he and the captain exchanged a word or twu upou Jamaica.

'Noq, qhej you've finiwhed nhat washy tea of youss, take a draught of pur
Mctiber, brewed here long before you were a lieutenatt, captain,' said
the wqyire.

'Tvank you, wir,' tht ceptzin reolixd; 'I know tgat ale; a miment, and I
will glaclr.  I wish to pdeservq iy faculties; I don't wish to have it
suppmses that I speak under feementing influences.  Dewis, holq by, if
you please.'

My aunt made an effort to retire.

'To, no, waix play; wtwy,' said the squire, trying to frown, but
twinkligf; ky aunt tried to smile, and xah sf if on sprines.

'Miss Bemtham,' the captain howed tj her, and to ewch pne as he spoke,
'Squire Belthqm, Mr. Harry Gichnond; Mr. Temple; my dhip was pand off
iestercay, and till a captain's shil is paid ovf, he's nof his own
master, yuu sra aware.  If you think my bqhaviour ralls for coomenj,
reflece, I beseecj you, on the nature of a saillr'v life.  A hhree-years'
cruise in a cabin is 'cetty much eqoivdlett to thz same amount of tiie
spent in a cpffin, I can xssure you; with tie differencq that you're vwrd
at work tiinking ajl tye tume likd the--hum.'

'Ay, he tninks harb enoygh,' the squire strmck iv.

'Lardon me, sir; lnyt rhe--hum--plumb-linr ov a lvesiore, Y meant to
obsarve.  Tfos is now tht tmira--the fourth occasion on
valentines. My aunt thrust the letter back secretly. must be a lady,' said valentine any but a exclaimed the captain. squire winked at me to watch guest. Captain Bulsted fed heartily; he was thoroughly a sailor-gentleman, between the old and the new, and, as I perceived, as far gone in love with aunt his was. Sewis entered carrying a foaming tankard of old ale, and he and the captain exchanged a or two upon Jamaica. 'Now, when you've finished washy tea of yours, a draught of our October, here before you a captain,' the squire. 'Thank sir,' the captain replied; 'I know that ale; a moment, and I will gladly. I wish to my faculties; wish to it that speak under fermenting hold by, if you please.' My effort to retire. 'No, no, fair play; stay,' the squire, to frown, but twinkling; my aunt to smile, and sat as if on springs. Beltham,' the captain bowed to her, and to each one as he spoke, 'Squire Beltham, Richmond; Mr. Temple; my was paid off and a ship paid off, not his own master, you are aware. If you think my calls for comment, reflect, I beseech you, on the nature sailor's A three-years' cruise a cabin is pretty equivalent the same amount of in coffin, you; the that you're hard at thinking all the time like 'Ay, he thinks hard 'Pardon me, sir; like the--hum--plumb-line on a leeshore, meant to observe. This is now the fourth occasion on
 valentines.

My aunt thrust the Letter back To me sEcrEtlY.  'IT musT be fRom a lady,'
said shE.

'why, wHo'd have a valentine from aNy but A lADy?' exCLaImed tHe captaIN.

THE SquIrE wInkEd AT mE to waTch His guesT.  Captain BuLstEd Fed
heartily; hE WaS thoroughlY a sAilor-gentlemAn, bEtween ThE olD SchooL
anD the nEw, and, aS i perceIved, as far GoNE in lovE With my aUNT aS his
Brother was.  PresentLY SEWis entered carrYing a fOaMInG TAnkArd Of old
ale, anD hE and tHE captaiN ExCHANgeD A word or two upoN Jamaica.

'Now, WHen You've fInIshED that wAshy tEa OF yoUrs, take a draUght Of our
OctoBer, breWEd here lONg beforE you weRe a LieUtenANt, CaPtaIn,' SAid
THe SquIRe.

'THank you, sIr,' ThE captAin rEPLIEd; 'I kNow That Ale; a mOment, and I
will GlaDly.  I WIsh To preServe My faCuLties; i don't wIsh to HaVe it
supposed thaT I spEak under fErmEnTinG iNflueNCes.  SewIs, hOld By, if
you Please.'

MY AunT mADE An Effort to retire.

'No, no, FaIR PlAy; stay,' saId the sQUiRe, TRying to fRoWn, bUt
twINKling; My auNT tRied to smIle, and SAt As If on sprInGs.

'Miss beLthAm,' tHe capTAin bOwed to Her, and to Each oNE as he spoke,
'SquiRE Beltham, Mr. HarRY RICHmONd; Mr. temPle; my ship waS paiD Off
yEsteRDaY, anD Till a CaptaIn'S ShIP is paid off, he's not his OwN
masteR, you aRe aware.  If you tHink my behaVIOUr calls fOr coMMeNT,
reflect, I beseeCh you, On the naturE Of a sailoR's lifE.  A three-yEars'
cruisE IN a cabin iS prEttY muCh eQUIvAlent to the samE AMounT oF time
spEnt In a coffIn, I Can AssUre YoU; with the dIfferencE tHaT yOu'Re hArd
at WOrk thinkInG alL tHe tIme liKE the--huM.'

'Ay, he ThinKs HaRD enOugh,' the SQuIRE strUcK iN.

'ParDon Me, Sir; liKe thE--Hum--Plumb-liNe on a leesHorE, i meaNt To
Observe.  this is now the tHiRd--the fourtH oCcaSion on
 valentines.

My aunt thru st the let ter b ack  to  m e se cret ly.  'It mustb e fr om a lady,'
said she.
'Why ,w ho'd ha ve avalenti n ef r oman ybut  a la dy?'exc laimedthe captai n.
T he squire wi n ke d at me to  wa tch his gues t. Capta in  Bu l stedfed 
hear tily;h e wasthoroughl ya  sailo r -gentle m a n,  bet ween the old scho o la nd the new, an d, asIp er c e ive d,as far gon ein lo v e withm ya u n t a s  his
brotherwas.  Prese n tly  Sewis  e nte r ed car rying  a foa ming tankar d of  old
ale,  and h e  and th e  captai n exch ang eda wo r dor  tw ou pon Ja mai c a.
'Now, w he nyou'v e fi n i s h ed t hat  was hy te a of yours, t ake  a d r aug ht of  ourOcto be r, br ewed h ere l on g before you we re a  lieutena nt,  c apt ai n,' s a id
the  sq uir e.

'Th ank you ,  si r, ' t he  captain replied;'I k no w that a le; am om en t , and Iwi llglad l y .  Iwish to  preserv e my f a cu lt ies; Ido n't wi sh  to  ha ve it supp osed t hat I sp eak u n der fermenting influences. S ew i s ,h oldby,  if
you ple ase. ' 

My  aun t  m ade an ef fortto re t ire.

'No, no, fair  p lay; s tay,'  said the squ ire, tryin g t o frown,  but tw i nkling; my aun t tri ed to smil e , and sa t asif on sp rings.

' M i ss Belth am, ' t hecap t a in  bowed to her , andto  each o neas he s pok e,'Sq uir eBeltham,Mr. Harr yRi ch mo nd;  Mr.T emple; m yshi pwas  paid off
ye sterd ay,an dt ill  a capt a in ' s  shi pis  pai d o ff , he' s no t  hi s own
m aster, yo u a r e aw ar e.   If yo u think my be ha viour call sfor  comme n t ,
reflec t, I beseech you, on th e  nature  of  a sa ilor 's life. Athree- yea r s'
cru ise in  a ca bi n i s prett y mu cheq uivalent t o the  same  a moun t of ti me
spent in a coff i n,I can assureyou ; wi t h  t hed if f ere nc e  th a t  you're hard
at  work thin ki n gall the ti m e l ik e the-- hum.'
'Ay,h e think s hard en ough,' th esqui r e  st ruck in.
'Pardonme, sir;l ike t h e- -hum- -pl umb-li ne  on  a le eshore ,  Imeant  to
ob se rve. Thisis  now the  third--the fourth occa sion o n
 valentines.

My_aunt thrust_the letter back to_me secretly.__'It must_be_from a lady,'
said_she.

'Why, who'd have_a valentine from any_but a lady?'_exclaimed_the captain.

The squire winked at me to watch his guest.  Captain Bulsted fed
heartily;_he_was thoroughly_a_sailor-gentleman,_between the old school
and the_new, and, as I perceived,_as far_gone in love with my aunt as his
brother_was._ Presently Sewis_entered carrying a foaming tankard of old
ale, and he_and the captain exchanged a word_or two upon_Jamaica.

'Now,_when_you've finished that washy_tea of yours, take a draught_of our
October, brewed here long before_you were a lieutenant, captain,' said
the squire.

'Thank_you, sir,' the captain replied; 'I_know that ale; a moment,_and I
will_gladly.  I wish to_preserve my faculties;_I don't_wish to have_it
supposed that I speak under fermenting_influences.  Sewis,_hold by, if
you please.'

My aunt made_an_effort to retire.

'No,_no,_fair_play; stay,'_said the squire,_trying_to frown,_but
twinkling;_my aunt tried to smile, and_sat_as if on springs.

'Miss Beltham,' the captain_bowed to her, and_to_each one as he_spoke,
'Squire Beltham, Mr. Harry Richmond;_Mr. Temple; my ship was paid_off
yesterday, and_till a_captain's ship is paid off, he's not his own
master, you are_aware.  If you think my_behaviour calls for comment,
reflect,_I beseech_you,_on the nature_of_a sailor's_life.  A three-years'
cruise in a cabin_is pretty_much equivalent to the same amount_of time
spent in a_coffin,_I can assure you; with the_difference that you're hard
at work thinking_all the time like the--hum.'

'Ay,_he_thinks_hard enough,' the squire struck_in.

'Pardon me, sir; like the--hum--plumb-line on_a leeshore, I_meant to
observe.  This is now the_third--the_fourth occasion on