nd cruel was the cannon-ball as knock'd his right eye out;
He used to ogle me with peepers full of fun,
But now he looks askew at me, because he's only one.
Sing tura-la, etcetera, etcetera."

"Eh! wid your tura-la. You call dat singing?" cried Opposition Bill,
stumping up, with his fiddle in his hand. "Stop a little. How you do,
Mr Tom? how you do, pretty lady? Now I sing you a song, and show dat
fellow how to make music. Stop a little, Miss Virginny."

"Well," said Bill Harness, "I'll just let you sing, that Miss Saunders
may judge between us."

Virginia felt half inclined to go away; but as the pensioners always
treated her with as much respect as any of the ladies of the officers of
the hospital, I pressed her arm that she might stay. Opposition Bill
then struck up as follows, saying, "Now I give you a new `Getting
upstairs.'"

"On board of a man-of-war dey hauled me one day,
And pitch me up de side just like one truss of hay.
Such a getting upstairs I nebber did see,
Such a getting upstairs.

"Dey show me de mast head, and tell me I must go,
I tumble on de rattling, and break my lilly toe.
Such a getting upstairs I nebber did see, etcetera.

"Dey pipe de hands up anchor, and Massa Boatswain's cane
Come rattle on our backs, for all de world like rain.
Such a getting upstairs, etcetera.

"And den dey man de rigging, the topsails for to reef,
And up we scull together, just like a flock of sheep.
Such a getting upstairs, etcetera.

"Dey send de boats away, a Frenchman for to board,
We climb de side with one hand, de oder hold de sword.
Such a getting upstairs, etcetera.

"Now here I sent to Greenwich because I lost a leg,
And ab to climb up to de ward upon my wooden peg.
Such a getting upstairs, etcetera.

"Dere, now; I ask you, Mister Tom, and de young lady, which sing best,
dat fellow, or your humble servant Bill--dat's me?"

"You sing very well, Bill," said Virginia, laughing, "but I'm not able
to decide such a difficult point."

"Nor more can I; it is impossible to say which I like best," continued
I. "We must go home now, so good bye."

"Thanky you, Mister Tom; thanky you, Missy. I see you wish to spare him
feelings; but I know what you tink in your heart."

Virginia and I now left the hospital. There was one subject which was
often discussed between my sister and me, which was, my situation with
regard to Bramble and Bessy. I had no secret