door.

"`Won't you come in?' said she.

"`No, thank you,' says I.

"`Won't you forgive me, Philip?' said she.

"`Yes,' says I, `I'll forgive you, for old acquaintance sake, and for
one more reason.'

"`What's that?' says Peggy.

"`Why,' says I, `for the lesson which you've learnt me. I've been made
a fool of once, and it's your fault; but if ever a woman makes a fool of
me again, why, then it's mine. And so, Peggy, good bye for ever.'

"So I turned away on my heel, and as I left the transport the next trip,
I never saw her again."

"Well, Bramble," replied I, "I agree with you; and if ever a woman makes
a fool of me _again_, it will be my fault. You know what's happened, so
I don't mind saying so."

"Why, Tom, in your present humour, you think so; but all do not keep to
the same way of thinking as I did till it was too late to think about
marrying; but still I do not think that I should have been happy as a
single man, if it had not been for my falling in with Bessy. I should
have been very lonely, I expect, for I began to feel so. When you come
to your own door, Tom, home looks cheerless if there is no bright eye to
welcome you, and the older a man gets the more he feels that he was not
intended to live single. My yearning after something to love and to
love me, which is in our nature, was satisfied, first by having Bessy,
and then by having you--and I'm thankful."

"You might have married, and have been very unhappy."

"I might, and I might have been very happy, had I chosen a wife as a man
should do."

"And how is that, pray, Bramble?"

"Why, Tom, I've often thought upon it. In the first place look out for
good temper: if you find that you may be happy, even if your wife is a
silly woman; assure yourself first of her temper, and then you must
judge her by the way in which she does those duties which have fallen to
her lot; for if a girl is a dutiful and affectionate daughter there is
little fear but that she will prove a loving and obedient wife. But I
think we have had our spell here, Tom, and it's rather cold: rouse up
one of those chaps, and tell him to come to the helm. I'll coil myself
up and have a snooze till the morning, and do you do the same."

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.

IN WHICH I RECEIVE A VERY SEVERE BLOW FROM A PARTY OR PARTIES UNKNOWN.

The day after this conversation we fell in with several vessels
wind-bound at the entrance of the Channel. I took charge of one, and
the w