ectly civil, asked me how I was, took a
chair and sat down. After a hem or two he entered into a long
conversation on the excellence of what he called the Catholic religion;
told me that he hoped I would not set myself against the light, and
likewise against my interest; for that the family were about to embrace
the Catholic religion, and would make it worth my while to follow their
example. I told him that the family might do what they pleased, but that
I would never forsake the religion of my country for any consideration
whatever; that I was nothing but a poor servant, but I was not to be
bought by base gold. 'I admire your honourable feelings,' said he; 'you
shall have no gold; and as I see you are a fellow of spirit, and do not
like being a servant, for which I commend you, I can promise you
something better. I have a good deal of influence in this place, and if
you will not set your face against the light, but embrace the Catholic
religion, I will undertake to make your fortune. You remember those fine
fellows to-day who took you into custody, they are the guards of his
Holiness. I have no doubt that I have interest enough to procure your
enrolment amongst them.' 'What,' said I, 'become swash buckler to Mumbo
Jumbo up here! May I ---'--and here I swore--'if I do. The mere
possibility of one of their children being swash-buckler to Mumbo Jumbo
on the high Barbary shore has always been a source of heart-breaking to
my poor parents. What, then, would they not undergo if they knew for
certain that their other child was swash-buckler to Mumbo Jumbo up here?'
Thereupon he asked me, even as you did some time ago, what I meant by
Mumbo Jumbo? And I told him all I had heard about the Mumbo Jumbo of the
high Barbary shore; telling him that I had no doubt that the old fellow
up here was his brother, or nearly related to him. The man with the red
hair listened with the greatest attention to all I said, and when I had
concluded, he got up, nodded to me, and moved to the door; ere he reached
the door I saw his shoulders shaking, and as he closed it behind him I
heard him distinctly laughing, to the tune of--he! he! he!

"But now matters began to mend. That same evening my young master
unexpectedly arrived. I believe he soon perceived that something
extraordinary had been going on in the family. He was for some time
closeted with the governor, with whom, I believe, he had a dispute; for
my fellow-servant, the ladie