the crew.

To go back to that insignificant little individual, myself, as I
certainly was on the day I have mentioned, when I made my first
appearance on board the HMS "Boreas". I came in for a large share of
the regard entertained by the ship's company for my parents. My father
was the first person introduced by Susan King into my presence.

"Well, he is a rum little youngster!" he exclaimed, taking me up in his
open palms. "He is like Polly--that he is!" he added, as he gazed at me
affectionately, the feelings of a father for the first time welling up
in his bosom. "Yes, he is a sweet little cherub! Shouldn't wonder but
he is like them as lives up aloft there to watch over us poor chaps at
sea. Ay, that he must be. They can't beat him. Lord love ye, Sue, I
am grateful to you for this here day's work."

I here interrupted my father's remarks by a loud cry, and other
infantine operations, on which Sue insisted on having me back again to
her safe keeping, while outside the screen several voices were heard
entreating my father to bring me out for inspection, a request with
which Mrs King had before steadily refused to comply.

"I say, Dick, just let's have a look at him. One squint, Burton, just
to see what sort of a younker he may be. Come now, he ain't a chap to
be ashamed of, I'm sure. There ain't none like him here aboard, I'll
swear. He don't come up to Quacko anyhow. Come, Dick, show us him now,
do, there's a good chap."

These and similar exclamations were sung out by various voices in
different tones, to which my mother, as she lay in her cot, listened not
unpleased, till at length my father having given her a kiss, and uttered
a few words of congratulation and thanks to Heaven--sailors are not
addicted to long prayers--again took me in his outstretched palms, and
thus brought me forth to the admiring gaze of his shipmates. So eager
were they to see me, that I ran no little risk of being knocked out of
my father's hands, as they were shoving each other aside in their
endeavours to get to the front rank. Then one and all wanted to have me
to handle for a moment; but to this Susan King, who had followed my
father from behind the screen, would on no account consent.

"Why, bless you, my lads, you would be wringing the little chap's neck
off, if you were to attempt to take hold of him," said Susan.

"Oh! No, don't fear, we will handle him just as if he was made of
sugar," was the reply.

"Oh!