o the gun-room, to introduce me to my new mess-mates. We left
the tiger pacing up and down on his quarter-deck.

The first lieutenant was of the medium stature, a suitable height for a
sloop of war, a spare figure, of about forty years of age; he had but
one eye, and that eye was as odd a one as the captain's. There was in
it, however, unlike the captain's, an infinite deal of humour, and when
he cocked it, as he constantly did, it almost spoke. I never saw three
such eyes in two such heads. There was a lurking smile in the
lieutenant's face, when I told him that the captain had desired me to
come on board and read my commission, after which I might have two or
three days to myself to prepare for sea.

"Well," said he, "you had better go and ask him now; but you will find
him a rum one."

Accordingly, up I went to him. "Have you any objection to my going on
shore sir?"

"Shore, sir!" bellowed he; "and who the devil is to carry on the duty,
if you go on shore? Shore, eh? I wish there was no shore, and then,
damn the dog that couldn't swim! No, sir; you have had shore enough.
The service is going to hell, sir! A parcel of brats, with lieutenant's
commissions before they should have been clear of the nursery! No, sir;
stay on board, or damn me, I'll break you like an egg-shell, before you
have taken a shine out of that fine new epaulette! No, no, by God; no
more cats here than catch mice. You stay on board, and do your duty;
every man does his duty here; and let me see the --- that don't do it!"

I was in some measure prepared for this sublime harangue; but still
there was sufficient room in my mind to admit of great astonishment at
this sudden change of wind. I replied that he had promised me leave
yesterday, and that, upon the strength of that promise, I had left all
my things on shore, and that I was not in any way prepared to go to sea.

"I promised you leave, did I? Perhaps I did; but that was only to get
you on board. I am up to your tricks, you damned young chaps: when you
get on shore, there is no getting you off again. No, no; no catchee no
havee! You would not have made your appearance these three days, if I
hadn't sugared the trap! Now I have got you, I'll keep you, damn my
eyes!"

I repeated my request to go on shore; but, without condescending to
offer any further reasons, he answered--"I'd see you damned first, sir!
And observe, I never admit of expostulation. Nothing affords me more