This unlooked-for spunk on old Davie's part startled me, and evidently made a strong impression on the excited nerves of the old commodore; especially as Sprawl followed it up, by slowly adding, while the tears hopped over his iron visage--"But, if it is to be so, I will save you the trouble, Sir Oliver, of _bringing_ me to a court-martial"--he paused for a good space--"Sir Oliver Oakplank, I _demand_ it."
The commodore had by this lain down again on the sofa, with his head resting on the pillow, and his arms clasped on his breast, as if he had been an effigy on a tombstone. For a minute he did not utter a word--at length--"David Sprawl, man and boy, I have known you five-and-twenty years; that your promotion has not kept pace with your merits I regret, almost as much as you yourself can do; but, in the present instance, you knew I had been ill, and at your hands I had expected more"----
"I could not help it, Sir Oliver--I had looked for other things; but mine has been a life of disappointment."
Sir Oliver rallied, and rose, ill as he was, and, stepping up to him, he laid hold of old Bloody Politeful's large bony hand--"Mr Sprawl, I--I beg pardon--illness and anxiety, as I said before, have broke me down; to you and Mr Lanyard I offer my apology; as brave men I know you won't refuse it; bad health is my excuse;--but neither of you can imagine the ties that bound me to that beautiful--that most excellent young man, Henry De Walden."
Dick now thought it was his turn, and made a rally--"Why, Sir Oliver, I am sure that neither Mr Sprawl nor myself would yield, even to you, in regard for him." He shook his head. "Indeed, sir, we both knew the poor boy well; and"--here he plucked up more courage, determined in his own mind apparently that he would clap a stopper on their being ridden rough-shod over in this sort of way--but the commodore, far from showing fight, quietly allowed him to say out his say--"We both knew him well--a finer or a braver lad never stepped; and I fancy, when I say so, I answer not only for Mr Sprawl and myself, but for every man who was with us in this ill-fated expedition. Had his rescue depended on our devoting ourselves, you may rely on it, Sir Oliver, either we should not have been here to tell the story, or _he_ would have been alive to tell his own."