dropped off to sleep.

Next morning all the family were up to see me off. I won't describe the
scene: my dear, sweet little sister Edith, though she looked so proud of
me in my uniform, sobbed as if she would break her heart; and I found it
a hard matter to restrain my feelings, till the coach came by, and, my
chest being stowed away in the boot, my father and I mounted to the top.
I soon recovered my spirits, when my father, entering into conversation
with our fellow-passengers, led me to join in it. Most of them were
seafaring men; and one of them, with naval buttons on his greatcoat,
made himself known to my father as Peter Mudge, once a little midshipman
with him, but now an old master's mate on his way to join the _Heroine_.

"You'll keep an eye on this youngster, then, for my sake, Mudge?" said
my father; "though I know you would without my asking you."

"That I will, Mr Rayner," answered Mr Mudge; "I'll do all I can for
him, though that may be but little."

"You've got one friend on board already, Godfrey," observed my father,
"through my interest. I hope you will soon have many more by your own
merits."

We reached Plymouth late in the day; and the next morning my father took
me on board to introduce me to the captain and officers. Captain
Bracewell received me very kindly; and when my father left--as he was
soon obliged to do--to return home, Peter Mudge took charge of me, and
led me down into the midshipmen's berth, where he introduced me to my
new messmates. I was at home in a few minutes, and made up my mind that
I should be very jolly. In this opinion I was confirmed by the
assurances of another midshipman of about my own age, or rather younger,
Tommy Peck by name, who had also come to sea for the first time, and who
naturally became my chief chum. He was a merry fellow, delighting in
fun and mischief; caring very little about the result of the latter,
provided he could amuse himself for the moment; and without a particle
of forethought. He was not altogether destitute of sense, but at the
time I speak of he greatly required a friend like Mudge to keep him in
the right way.

The sails were loosed, the men were going round the capstan to the sound
of the merry fife, when a messenger from the Admiralty arrived in hot
haste, directing the captain to carry out despatches to the governor of
Cape Coast Castle, instead of proceeding direct to the Pacific, whither
we were bound.

The wind being fai