s in the air,
and down fell her head into the bottom of the boat. As she was pulling
the stroke oar, her feet almost came in contact with the rosette of my
cocked-hat.

"There now, Sally," said the wary mother; "I told you how it would be--I
knew you would catch a crab!"

Sally quickly recovered herself, blushed a little, and resumed her
occupation. "That's what we call catching a crab in our country," said
the woman. I replied that I thought it was a very pretty amusement, and
I asked Sally to try and catch another; but she declined, and by this
time we had reached the side of the ship.

Having paid my naiads, I took hold of the man-rope, as I was instructed
by them, and mounted the side. Reaching the gangway, I was accosted by
a midshipman in a round jacket and trousers, a shirt none of the
cleanest, and a black silk handkerchief tied loosely round his neck.

"Who did you want, sir?" said he.

"I wish to speak with Mr Handstone, the first lieutenant," said I. He
informed me that the first lieutenant was then gone down to frank the
letters, and when he came on deck, he would acquaint him with my being
there.

After this dialogue, I was left on the larboard side of the quarter-deck
to my own meditations. The ship was at this time refitting, and was
what is usually called in the hands of the dockyard, and a sweet mess
she was in. The quarter-deck carronades were run fore and aft; the
slides unbolted from the side, the decks were covered with pitch fresh
poured into the seams, and the caulkers were sitting on their boxes
ready to renew their noisy labours as soon as the dinner-hour had
expired. The middies, meanwhile, on the starboard side of the
quarter-deck, were taking my altitude, and speculating as to whether I
was to be a messmate of theirs, and what sort of a chap I might chance
to be--both these points were solved very speedily.

The first lieutenant came on deck; the midshipman of the watch presented
me, and I presented my name and the captain's message.

"It is all right, sir," said Mr Handstone. "Here, Mr Flyblock, do you
take this young gentleman into your mess; you may show him below as soon
as you please, and tell him where to hang his hammock up."

I followed my new friend down the ladder, under the half-deck, where sat
a woman, selling bread and butter and red herrings to the sailors; she
had also cherries and clotted cream, and a cask of strong beer, which
seemed to be in great demand.