wn his throat. Then Tom was fond of a chaw, and seldom had had a quid
out of his cheeks. Bill, for some reason, didn't like baccy, and though
his mouth kept asking for it, nothing would ever tempt his hands to put
a quid inside. `I'm very miserable, that I be,' groaned poor Bill; `I
sometimes almost wishes I hadn't caught Tom's head--that I do.'

"You see, Mr Merry, people seldom know when they are well off, and that
I used to tell him. More came of it when Bill got back home. When poor
Tom Jay's widow caught sight of him there was a terrible to do, seeing
she was already married to another man; but I'll tell you all about that
by and by. There's the captain about to speak."

The captain's speech was very brief: "Clear ship for action," he
exclaimed, as he placed himself on one of the after guns; "and now,
lads, let me see what you are made of."

I had been about to ask the boatswain how he got clear of the two
line-of-battle ships, when this interruption occurred. Toby Bluff had
been standing at a respectful distance, taking it all in with open mouth
and astonishment. Each man went to his station--bulkheads were knocked
away--the fires put out--the magazine opened--powder and shot were
carried on deck--the guns were cast loose, and every preparation was
made in a wonderfully short space of time. As I passed along the
main-deck, I found Toby Bluff sitting on his tub, the picture of a
regular powder-monkey--fat, sturdy, and unconcerned. He had become on
very familiar terms with the other boys, and had fought his way into a
satisfactory state of equality. He and those near him were firing off
jokes at each other at a rapid rate, the others trying to frighten him,
and he in no way inclined to take alarm.

"Never you mind," he answered to a remark made by one of his companions;
"if some chaps have their heads blown off, others gets new ones clapped
on again! Ha, ha, ha! That's more than some of you ever see'd done."

I was glad to see that Toby was in such good heart, and would not
disgrace our county. When I reached the upper deck, I found our bunting
going up and down. We were signalising with the stranger, which, after
all, turned out to be no enemy, but his Majesty's thirty-six gun frigate
Uranius. There was a general groan of disappointment when the order was
given to secure the guns and close the magazine. I believe that, at
that moment, most of the people, so worked up were they for fighting,
wou