es in comes my young gemman, as grave as
you please. "Edward," says the mother, "this is one of Captain Steel's
men." "Is he going to take me?" says the young fellow, with his hands in
his pockets. "Well, sir," I says, "'tis a very bad look-out, is the sea,
for them as don't like it. You'll be sorry ten times over you've left
sich a berth as this here afore you're down Channel." The young chap
looks me all over from clue to earing, and says he, "My mother told you
to say that!" "No sir," says I, "I says it on my own hook." "Why did you
go yourself then?" says he. "I couldn't help it," answers I. "Oh," says
the impertinent little devil, "but you're only one of the common
sailors, ain't you?" "Split me, you little beggar?" thinks I, "if I
doesn't show you the odds betwixt a common sailor, as ye call it, and a
lubber of a boy, before long!" But I wasn't goin' to let him take the
jaw out o' me, so I only laughed, an' says I, "Why, I'm captain of the
foretop at sea, any how." "Where's your huniform, then?" says the boy,
lowering his tone a bit. "O," I says, "we doesn't al'ays wear huniform,
ye know, sir. This here's what we call on-dress." "I'm sorry, sir," says
the lady, "I didn't ax you to sit down." "No offence at all, marm," I
says, but I took a couple o' glasses of brandy as was brought in. I saw
'twas no use goin' against the young chap; so, when he asked what he'd
have to do aboard, I told him nothing to speak of, except count the
sails now and then, look over the bows to see how the ship went, and go
aloft with a spy-glass. "Oh," says his mother, at this, "I hope Captain
Steel won't never allow Edward to go up those dangerous ladders! It is
my partic'lar request he should be punished if he does." "Sartainly,
marm, I'll mention it to the captain," I says, "an' no doubt he'll give
them orders as you speak on." "The captain desired me to say the young
gentleman could come aboard as soon as he likes," says I, before goin'
out of the door. "Very well, sir," says the lady, "I shall see the
tailor this same afternoon, and get his clothes, if so be it must." The
last word I said was, putting my head half in again to tell 'em, "There
was no use gettin' any huniforms at present, seein' the ship's
sail-maker could do all as was wanted afterwards, when we got to sea."

Well, two or three days after, the captain sent word to say the ship
would drop down with the morning tide, and Master Collins had better be
aboard by six o'clock.