Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/146

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THE NAVAL OFFICER.

vinced me they were not of the bon ton of Philadelphia. The answers to all my questions were quick, pert, and given with an air of assumed consequence; at the same time I observed a mode of expression, which, though English, was not well-bred English.

"Did you come through the United States," said I, " into the British territory, or did you come by water?"

"Oh, by water," screamed all the girls at once, " and liked to have been eaten up with the nasty roaches."

I did not exactly know what was meant by "roaches," but it was explained to me soon after. I inquired whether they had seen a British man of war, and whether they would like to accompany me on board of that which I belonged to? They all screamed out at the same moment—

"No, we never have seen one; and should like to see it of all things. When will you take us?"

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