stand like a well-broken pointer. With him the
wind never changed till the next day. His uncle pronounced him to be a
fool, but that did not hurt his nephew's feelings; he had been told so
too often already.

I have said that Jack had a great respect for good eating and drinking,
and, moreover, was blessed with a good appetite: every person has his
peculiar fancies, and if there was anything which more titillated the
palate and olfactory nerves of our hero, it was a roast goose with sage
and onions. Now it so happened, that having been about seven months on
board of the Mendacious, Jack had one day received a summons to dine
with the Admiral, for the steward had ordered a roast goose for dinner,
and knew not only that Jack was partial to it, but also that Jack was
the Admiral's nephew, which always goes for something on board of a
flag-ship. Just before they were sitting down to table, the Admiral
wishing to know how the wind was, and having been not a little vexed
with the slow progress of his nephew's nautical acquirements, said,
"Now, Mr Littlebrain, go up, and bring me down word how the wind is;
and mark me, as, when you are sent, nine times out of ten you make a
mistake, I shall now bet you five guineas against your dinner, that you
make a mistake this time: so now be off and we will soon ascertain
whether you lose your dinner or I lose my money. Sit down, gentlemen,
we will not wait for Mr Littlebrain."

Jack did not much admire this bet on the part of his uncle, but still
less did he like the want of good manners in not waiting for him. He
had just time to see the covers removed, to scent a whiff of the goose,
and was off.

"The Admiral wants to know how the wind is, sir," said Jack to the
officer of the watch.

The officer of the watch went to the binnacle, and setting the wind as
nearly as he could, replied, "Tell Sir Theophilus that it is _South West
and by West three-quarters West_."

"That's one of those confounded long points that I never can remember,"
cried Jack, in despair.

"Then you'll `get goose,' as the saying is," observed one of the
midshipmen.

"No; I'm afraid that I sha'n't get any," replied Jack, despondingly.
"What did he say, South West and by North three-quarters East?"

"Not exactly," replied his messmate, who was a good-natured lad, and
laughed heartily at Jack's version. "South West and by West
three-quarters West."

"I never can remember it," cried Jack. "I'm to have f