Theyoungerseamanwas，inalloutwardappearance，theconverseofhiscompanion。Hisstaturecouldnothaveexceededfourfeet。Apairofstumpybow-legssupportedhissquat，unwieldyfigure，whilehisunusuallyshortandthickarms，withnoordinaryfistsattheirextremities，swungoffdanglingfromhissideslikethefinsofasea-turtle。Smalleyes，ofnoparticularcolor，twinkledfarbackinhishead。Hisnoseremainedburiedinthemassoffleshwhichenvelopedhisround，full，andpurpleface；andhisthickupper-lipresteduponthestillthickeronebeneathwithanairofcomplacentself-satisfaction，muchheightenedbytheowner’shabitoflickingthematintervals。Heevidentlyregardedhistallshipmatewithafeelinghalf-wondrous，half-quizzical；andstaredupoccasionallyinhisfaceastheredsettingsunstaresupatthecragsofBenNevis。
Variousandeventful，however，hadbeentheperegrinationsoftheworthycoupleinandaboutthedifferenttap-housesoftheneighbourhoodduringtheearlierhoursofthenight。Fundseventhemostample，arenotalwayseverlasting：anditwaswithemptypocketsourfriendshadventureduponthepresenthostelrie。
Atthepreciseperiod，then，whenthishistoryproperlycommences，Legs，andhisfellowHughTarpaulin，sat，eachwithbothelbowsrestinguponthelargeoakentableinthemiddleofthefloor，andwithahanduponeithercheek。Theywereeyeing，frombehindahugeflagonofunpaid-for“humming-stuff。”theportentouswords，“NoChalk。”whichtotheirindignationandastonishmentwerescoredoverthedoorwaybymeansofthatverymineralwhosepresencetheypurportedtodeny。Notthatthegiftofdecypheringwrittencharactersagiftamongthecommonaltyofthatdayconsideredlittlelesscabalisticalthantheartofinditingcould，instrictjustice，havebeenlaidtothechargeofeitherdiscipleofthesea；
buttherewas，tosaythetruth，acertaintwistintheformationofthelettersanindescribablelee-lurchaboutthewhole-whichforeboded，intheopinionofbothseamen，alongrunofdirtyweather；anddeterminedthematonce，intheallegoricalwordsofLegshimself，to“pumpship，clewupallsail，andscudbeforethewind。”
Havingaccordinglydisposedofwhatremainedoftheale，andloopedupthepointsoftheirshortdoublets，theyfinallymadeaboltforthestreet。AlthoughTarpaulinrolledtwiceintothefire-place，mistakingitforthedoor，yettheirescapewasatlengthhappilyeffectedandhalfaftertwelveo’clockfoundourheroesripeformischief，andrunningforlifedownadarkalleyinthedirectionofSt。Andrew’sStair，hotlypursuedbythelandladyofthe“JollyTar。”