16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
lion, three hundred and thirteen thousand,
eight hundred and forty-two pieces of eight
they found in her – a figure I always remember
– and that made him right glad, as you may
well suppose; but when he learnt that now
they were to steer for home he used to say it
made him happier still.'
'Ha, ha,' cried Wilkins, somewhat flushed with
his wine, 'homeward bound is very well, but
homeward bound with a pocketful of prizemoney
is better still. Huzzay for the Horn!'
There was a good deal of cheerful noise at
this, and more chuckling among the messattendants
than was either right or decent; but
Jack, recovering his gravity, shook his head,
saying, 'Come, gentlemen, do not let us tempt
Fate; do not let us say anything presumptuous
that may prove unlucky. We must not sell the
bear's skin before we have locked the stable
door. And locked it with a double turn.'