h my mother in the parlour, when she opened the door, and beckoned me
to come in. I did so not without some degree of anxiety, for I was
afraid that I had been discovered: but this doubt was soon removed;
Captain Delmar did me the honour to shake hands with me, and then patted
my head saying, he hoped I was a good boy, which, being compelled to be
my own trumpeter, I very modestly declared that I was. My mother, who
was standing up behind, lifted up her eyes at my barefaced assertion.
Captain Delmar then shook hands with my mother, intimating his intention
of paying her another visit very soon, and again patting me on the head,
quitted the parlour, and went away through the shop.

As soon as Captain Delmar was gone, my mother turned round, and said,
"You naughty, mischievous boy, to play such pranks. I'll have that dog
killed, without you promise me never to do so again."

"Do what again, mother?"

"None of your pretended innocence with me. I've been told of the
pigtail that Bob pulls at. That's all very well at the barracks with
the marines, sir, but do you know _who_ it is that you have been playing
that trick to?"

"No mother, I don't. Who is he?"

"Who is he, you undutiful child? why, he's--he's the Honourable Captain
Delmar."

"Well, what of that?" replied I. "He's a naval captain, ain't he?"

"Yes; but he's the nephew of the lady who brought me up and educated me.
It was he that made the match between me and our father: so if it had
not been for him, child, you never would have been born."

"Oh that's it," replied I. "Well, mother, if it had not been for me,
he'd never have come into the shop, and found you."

"But, my child, we must be serious; you must be very respectful to
Captain Delmar, and play no tricks with him; for you may see him very
often, and, perhaps, he will take a fancy to you; and if he does, he may
do you a great deal of good, and bring you forward in the world; so
promise me."

"Well, mother, I'll promise you I'll leave him alone if you wish it.
Law, mother, you should have seen how the middy laughed at him; it was
real fun to make a gallant captain run in the way he did."

"Go along, you mischievous animal, and recollect your promise to me,"
said my mother, as she went into the shop where she found that Captain
Bridgeman, to whom she intended to explain how it was that she had
dropped the tumbler of water, had gone away.

There was a great deal of consultation between my g