PoB's sense of humor

Every time I read the books (now on my 3rd or 4th circumnavigation) I'm reminded what a wonderfully adept sense of humor Patrick O'Brian had. An example from The Ionian Mission (book 8, chapter 1): On the deck of the Worcester, Jack calls for his visiting wife and children to be taken off in preparation for weighing anchor. His girls come running...

"...followed by George, their younger brother, in his first pair of pantaloons, carried by a hairy quartermaster. But George's full-moon face was anxious and pre-occupied; he whispered into the seaman's hairy ear. 'Can't you wait?' asked the seaman. George shook his head: the seaman whipped off the pantaloons, held the little boy well out over the leeward rail and called for a handful of tow.

"On the poop itself Jack was still gazing..."

Priceless.