om
the owner, as soon as I had finished, he said:

"You are a lad after my own heart, and I wish we were sailing
together. I want a first-lieutenant like you, and if you will go with
me, say the word, and it will be hard but I will have you."

I replied that I was not very anxious to be in a privateer again; and
this brought on a discourse upon what occurred when I was in the
Revenge with Captain Weatherall.

"Well," he said at last, "all this makes me more anxious to have you.
I like fair fighting, and hate buccaneering like yourself; however, we
will talk of it another time. I am about to start for London. What do
you say, will you join me, and we will have some sport? With plenty of
money, you may do any thing in London."

"Yes," I replied, "but I have not plenty of money."

"That shall make no difference; money is of no use but to spend it,
that I know of," replied Captain Levee. "I have plenty for both of us,
and my purse is at your service; help yourself as you please, without
counting, for I shall be your enemy if you offer to return it. That's
settled; the horses are all ready, and we will start on Wednesday. How
will you dress? I think it might be better to alter your costume, now
you are going to London. You'll make a pretty fellow, dress how you
will."

"Before I give you an answer to all your kind proposals, I must speak
to the owner, Captain Levee."

"Of course, you must; shall we go there now?"

"Willingly," I replied. And we accordingly set off.

Captain Levee introduced the subject as soon as we arrived at the
counting-house, stating that he wanted me to be first-lieutenant of
the privateer, and that I was going to London with him, if he had no
objection.

"As for going to London with you for five or six weeks, Captain Levee,
there can be no objection to that," replied the owner; "but as for
being your first-lieutenant, that is another question. I have a vessel
now fitting out, and intended to offer the command of it to Mr.
Elrington. I do so now at once, and he must decide whether he prefers
being under your orders to commanding a vessel of his own."

"I will decide that for him," replied Captain Levee. "He must command
his own vessel; it would be no friendship on my part to stand in the
way of his advancement. I only hope, if she is a privateer, that we
may cruise together."

"I cannot reply to that latter question," replied the owner. "Her
destination is uncertain; but the command of h