touched his neckerchief,
and his cocked-hat and journals, boldly followed the messenger into the
captain's cabin, where three grave-looking gentlemen, in undress
uniform, awaited him. They were seated at a round table; a clerk was at
the elbow of the president; "Moore's Navigation," that wise redoubtable,
lay before them; together with a nautical almanack, a slate and pencil,
ink and paper. The trembling middy advanced to the table, and having
most respectfully deposited his journals and certificates of sobriety
and good conduct, was desired to sit down. The first questions were
merely theoretical; and although in the gun-room, or in any other
company, he would have acquitted himself with ease, he was so abashed
and confounded, that he lost his head entirely, trembled at the first
question, stared at the second, and having no answer to make to the
third, was dismissed, with directions "to go to sea six months longer."

He returned to us with a most woe-begone countenance; I never saw a poor
creature in greater mental torment. I felt for him the more, as I knew
not how soon his case might be my own. Another was called, and soon
returned with no better success; and the description he gave of the
bullying conduct of the youngest passing captain was such as to damp the
spirits, and enough to stultify minds so inexperienced as ours, and
where so much depended on our success. This hint was, however, of great
use to me. Theory, I found, was the rock on which they had split; and
in this part of my profession I knew my powers, and was resolved not to
be bowled out by the young captain. But while I thus resolved, a third
candidate was returned to us, _re infecta_; and this was a young man on
whose talents I could have relied: I began to doubt myself. When the
fourth came out with a smiling face, and told us he had passed, I took a
little breath; but even this comfort was snatched from me in a moment,
by his saying that one of the passing captains was a friend of his
father. Here then was solved an enigma; for this fellow, during the
short time I was in his company, gave proof of being no better than a
simpleton.

On my own name being called, I felt a flutter about the heart which I
did not feel in action, or in the hurricane, or when, in a case more
desperate than either, I jumped overboard at Spithead, to swim to my
dear Eugenia. "Powers of Impudence, as well as Algebra," said I, "lend
me your aid, or I am undone."