on without speaking.

The coxswain first broke the silence:--"What's your name, my little
Trojan?" said he.

"Percival Keene."

"Well I'm blessed if I didn't think that you were one of the Delmar
breed, by the cut of your jib; howsomever, it's a wise child that knows
its own father."

"Father's dead," replied I.

"Dead! Well, fathers do die sometimes; you must get on how you can
without one. I don't think fathers are of much use, for, you see,
mothers take care of you till you're old enough to go to sea. My father
did nothing for me, except to help mother to lick me, when I was
obstropolous."

The reader, from what he has already been informed about Ben, the
marine, may easily conceive that I was very much of Bob Cross's opinion.

"I suppose you don't know anybody on board--do you?"

"Yes, I know Tommy Dott--I knew him when the ship was at Chatham."

"Oh! Mr Tommy Dott; I dare say you're just like him, for you look full
of mischief. He's a very nice young man for a small party, as the
saying is; there is more devil in his little carcase than in two
women's, and that's not a trifle; you'll hunt in couples, I dare say,
and get well flogged at the same gun, if you don't take care. Now, here
we are, and I must report my arrival with you under convoy."

Bob Cross sent a waiter for the captain's steward, who went up to
Captain Delmar. I was ordered to go upstairs, and again found myself in
the presence of the noble captain, and a very stout elderly man, with a
flaxen wig.

"This is the lad," said Captain Delmar, when I came into the room and
walked up to him; "you know exactly what he requires; oblige me by
seeing him properly fitted out and the bill sent in to me."

"Your orders shall be strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," said the old
gentleman, with a profound bow.

"You had better not order too many things, as he is growing fast; it
will be easy to make good any deficiencies as they may be required."

"Your orders shall be most strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," replied the
old gentleman, with another bow.

"I hardly know what to do with him for to-day and to-morrow, until his
uniforms are made," continued the captain: "I suppose he must go on
board."

"If you have no objection, Captain Delmar," said the old gentleman, with
another low bow, "I am sure that Mrs Culpepper will be most proud to
take charge of any _protege_ of yours; we have a spare bed, and the
young gentleman can remain with us unt