"
"It may be only an exceptional case."
"Let us hope so."
The next occasion on which the captain displayed his infirmity was
rather a laughable one. He came up from the cabin about three o'clock
in the afternoon so full that he was forced to stagger as he walked.
Directly in front of him the young dude, Montgomery Clinton, was
pacing the deck, carrying in his hand a rattan cane such as he used on
shore. As he overhauled him, Captain Hill, with the instinct of a
drunken man, locked arms with the young man, and forced him to
promenade in his company, talking rather incoherently meanwhile.
Clinton's look of distress and perplexity, as he submitted to his
fate, caused Harry nearly to explode with laughter. They were indeed a
singular pair.
Finally there came a disaster. A lurch of the vessel proved too much
for the captain, who, in losing his equilibrium, also upset Clinton,
and the two rolled down under one of the ship's boats, which was slung
on one side.
Montgomery Clinton picked himself up, and hurriedly betook himself to
his cabin, fearing that he might fall again into the clutches of his
unwelcome companion. The captain was helped to his feet by the mate,
and was persuaded also to go downstairs.
"The captain was pretty well slewed, professor," said Mr.
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