 and the driving sparks
that flew among the rigging, and the cloud of sails, seemed to menace the ship
with certain annihilation by fire, in case the elements of air and water failed
to compass her destruction; there, again, was Mr. Tapley, with his coat off and
his shirt-sleeves turned up to his elbows, doing all kinds of culinary offices;
compounding the strangest dishes; recognised by every one as an established
authority; and helping all parties to achieve something, which, left to
themselves, they never could have done, and never would have dreamed of. In
short, there never was a more popular character than Mark Tapley became, on
board that noble and fast-sailing line-of-packet ship, the Screw; and he
attained at last to such a pitch of universal admiration, that he began to have
grave doubts within himself whether a man might reasonably claim any credit for
being jolly under such exciting circumstances.
    »If this was going to last,« said Tapley, »there'd be no great difference as
I can perceive, between the Screw and the Dragon. I never am to get credit, I
think. I begin to be afraid that the Fates is determined to make the world easy
to me.«
    »Well, Mark,« said Martin, near whose berth he had ruminated to this effect.
»When will this be over?«
    »Another week, they say, sir,« returned Mark, »will most likely bring us
into port. The ship's a-going along at present, as sensible as a ship can, sir;
though I don't mean to say as that's any very high praise.«
    »I don't think it is, indeed,« groaned Martin.
    »You'd feel all the better for it, sir, if you was to turn out,« observed
Mark.
    »And be seen by the ladies and gentlemen on the after-deck,« returned
Martin, with a scornful emphasis upon the words, »mingling with the beggarly
crowd that are stowed away in this vile hole. I should be greatly the better for
that, no doubt!«
    »I'm thankful that I can't say from my own experience what the feelings of a
gentleman may be,« said Mark, »but I should have thought, sir, as a gentleman
would feel a deal more uncomfortable down here, than up in the fresh air,
especially when the ladies and gentlemen in the after-cabin know just as much
about him,
