You don't know what delicate, weak little creatures these babies
are when they are first born," observed Susan. "Just like jellyfish,
they will not stand any rough handling."

Still in spite of my kind nurse's remarks, the bystanders continued to
urge my father to let them have me.

"It is as much as my place is worth, mates," he answered at length; "I
would not let him out of my hands on no account."

My new shipmates were, therefore, compelled to admire me at a respectful
distance. I believe the remarks they made were generally complimentary,
only they seemed to have arrived at the opinion that I was not at that
time so fat or so fair as the cherubs they had heard of who live up
aloft.

"And now, mates, I will just hand him back to Susan, and go and get the
doctor to look at me, for I begin to feel pretty stiffish with the holes
I got made in me just now," said my father.

And I was forthwith reconsigned to the charge of my mother and her
attendant, while he went to the surgeon to get his wounds dressed.
There were none of them, fortunately very serious, for the bullet had
gone through the fleshy part of the arm, and the pike had missed the
bone; the cut in the cheek, which at first appeared the most trifling,
giving in the end more trouble and annoyance than either of the other
hurts. The expedition in which he had been engaged was something out of
the common way, though when I come to note down the numerous ones he has
described to me, it is somewhat difficult not to mix them all up
together.

The frigate, on board which I thus suddenly found myself, formed one of
the East India Squadron, of which Admiral Peter Rainier was
Commander-in-Chief.

The "Boreas" had a short time before this been despatched to Macao for
the protection of the China trade. I speak of course from hearsay, as
what I am about to relate occurred just before I came into existence;
indeed, of many other subsequent events which I shall venture to
describe I cannot be said to have any very vivid recollection, although
present at the time. The frigate was standing to the eastward, some
three or four leagues from the coast, when one of the topmen, Pat Brady,
on the look-out at the mast-head, discovered a sail in shore to the
northward. Pat was a relation of my mother--she was an Irishwoman, and,
as Pat never failed to assert, a credit to her country. He would at all
times have been ready to fight any man who ventured to hold a differe