ust come to terms. You don't think I'd help myself to a
thrashing, do you?"

"I won't thrash you, Tom. Shiver my timbers if I do."

"They're in a fair way of being shivered as it is, I think. Now,
father, we're both even."

"How's that?"

"Why you clapped a stopper over all on me this morning, and now you've
got one on yourself."

"Well, then, take off mine, and I'll take off yours."

"If I unlock your leg, you'll unlock the cupboard?"

"Yes."

"And you promise me a _stiff one_ after dinner?"

"Yes, yes, as stiff as I stand here."

"No, that will be too much, for it would _set me fast_. I only like it
about half-and-half, as I took it just now."

Tom, who was aware that his father would adhere to his agreement,
immediately went to his assistance, and throwing out some of the upper
bricks, released him from his confinement. When old Tom was once more
on deck and on his legs, he observed, "It's an ill wind that blows
nobody good. The _loss_ of my leg has been the _saving_ of you many a
time, Mr Tom."

It was now time to anchor, as we were meeting the flood. Tom, who
officiated as cook, served up the dinner, which was ready; and we were
all very pleasant; Tom treating his father with perfect confidence. As
we had not to weigh again for some hours, our repast was prolonged, and
old Tom, having fulfilled his promise to his son of a _stiff one_, took
one or two himself, and became very garrulous.

"Come, spin us a good yarn, father; we've nothing to do, and Jacob will
like to hear you."

"Well, then, so I will," answered he; "what shall it be about?"

"Fire and water, of course," replied Tom.

"Well, then, I'll tell you something about both, since you wish it; how
I came into his Majesty's sarvice, through _fire_, and how the officer
who pressed me went out of it through _water_. I was still 'prentice,
and wanted about three months to sarve my time, when, of course, I
should no longer be protected from sarving the king, when the ship I was
in sailed up the Baltic with a cargo of bullocks. We had at least two
hundred on board, tied up on platforms on every deck, with their heads
close to the sides, and all their sterns looking in-board. They were
fat enough when they were shipped, but soon dwindled away: the weather
was very bad, and the poor creatures rolled against each other, and
slipped about in a way that it pitied you to see them. However, they
were stowed so thick, that they held one ano