Tom, thus cautioned, proceeded with his charge, and, being naturally
taciturn, opened not his lips, until he had performed the best half
of his journey. But Thomas, notwithstanding his irony appearance,
was in reality composed of flesh and blood. His desire being
titillated by the contact of a buxom wench, whose right arm embraced
his middle as he rode, his thoughts began to mutiny against his
master, and he found it almost impossible to withstand the temptation
of making love. Nevertheless, he wrestled with these rebellious
suggestions with all the reason that Heaven had enabled him to exert;
and that being totally overcome, his victorious passion suddenly
broke out in this address:
"'Sblood! I believe master thinks I have no more stuff in my body
than a dried haddock, to turn me adrift in the dark with such
a spanker. D'ye think he don't, my dear?" To this question his
fellow-traveller replied, "Swanker anan!" And the lover resumed
his suit, saying, "Oons! how you tickle my timber! Something shoots
from your arm, through my stowage, to the very keelstone.
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