Which is entirely owing to its uncommon
stupidity.'
'Is that you, Mark?' asked a faint voice from another berth.
'It's as much of me as is left, sir, after a fortnight of this work,'
Mr Tapley replied, 'What with leading the life of a fly, ever since I've
been aboard--for I've been perpetually holding-on to something or other
in a upside-down position--what with that, sir, and putting a very
little into myself, and taking a good deal out of myself, there an't too
much of me to swear by. How do you find yourself this morning, sir?'
'Very miserable,' said Martin, with a peevish groan. 'Ugh. This is
wretched, indeed!'
'Creditable,' muttered Mark, pressing one hand upon his aching head and
looking round him with a rueful grin. 'That's the great comfort. It IS
creditable to keep up one's spirits here. Virtue's its own reward. So's
jollity.'
Mark was so far right that unquestionably any man who retained his
cheerfulness among the steerage accommodations of that noble and
fast-sailing line-of-packet ship, 'THE SCREW,' was solely indebted to
his own resources, and shipped his good humour, like his provisions,
without any contribution or assistance from the owners.
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