waterman, and that
you have no great fancy for a man-of-war, although you have a hankering
for the sea. Now, as you cannot cruise with your friend Spicer on the
Spanish Main, nor yet be safe from impressment in a privateer or
merchantman, we have been thinking that, perhaps, you would have no
objection to be a channel and river pilot; and if so, I have an old
friend in that service who, I think, may help you. What do you say?"

"I should like it very much."

"Yes, it is a good service, and a man is usefully employed. You may be
the means, as soon as you are out of your time, and have passed your
examination, of saving many a vessel and more lives. You have had a
pretty fair education, indeed quite sufficient; and, as you will often
be coming up the river, you will have opportunities of seeing your
father and your friends. If you decide, I will write at once."

"It is the very thing that I should like," replied I; "and many thanks
to you, Anderson."

"And it's exactly what I should wish also," replied my father. "So that
job's jobbed, as the saying is."

After this arrangement, I walked away as proud as if I had been an
emancipated slave. That very evening I announced my intention of
resigning my office of "Poor Jack," and named as my successor the boy
with whom I had fought so desperately to obtain it, when the prospect
was held out to me, by old Ben, of my becoming Poor Jack--forever.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Much ado about Nothing; or, a Specimen of modern Patronage.

I communicated to my mother and Virginia my father's intentions relative
to my future employ, and was not surprised to find my mother very much
pleased with the intelligence, for she had always considered my
situation of "Poor Jack" as disgracing her family--declaring it the
"most ungenteelest" of all occupations. Perhaps she was not only glad of
my giving up the situation, but also of my quitting her house. My father
desired me to wear my Sunday clothes during the week, and ordered me a
new suit for my best, which he paid for out of the money which he had
placed in the hands of the lieutenant of the hospital; and I was very
much surprised to perceive my mother cutting out half-a-dozen new shirts
for me, which she and Virginia were employed making up during the
evenings. Not that my mother told me who the shirts were for--she said
nothing; but Virginia whispered it to me: my mother could not be even
gracious to me. Nevertheless, the shirts