DISAPPOINTMENT.

As soon as the ship was paid off, Jack took his new friend on shore, and
procured for him a proper costume and other necessaries. He had himself
a considerable amount of prize-money to receive, and instead of spending
it as did many of his shipmates, throwing it away lavishly on every
side, he visited the nearest horse dealer's in order to purchase a
couple of stout animals to carry him and Monsieur de Mertens on their
way. The horse dealer was rather astonished when the naval officer,
whom he naturally supposed knew as much about horse-flesh as he himself
did about the management of a ship, indignantly refused a couple of
spavined animals which he offered for sale. Several others were brought
forward, which Jack in like manner rejected. At length he fixed upon
two beasts which, after passing his hands over their shoulders and down
their legs, he thought might suit for the purpose of carrying them safe
to Norwich, and from thence on to Master Pearson's farm.

"The finest animals in my stud!" exclaimed the horse dealer, as Jack
ordered them to be led out. "Fit for chargers for the Duke of
Marlborough himself, or suited to carry any noblemen as hunters across
the country."

"I have not so long ploughed salt water as not to know something about
ploughing the land," answered Jack; "don't you see the hay-seed still in
my hair? Come, come, Mr Crupper, the horses will carry us along the
roads without coming down on their knees at a decent pace, and if you
like to take the sum I offer, we'll have them, if not, we will soon go
and seek another dealer who is not so ready to pass off his broken-kneed
beasts on poor ignorant `Jack-tars.'"

The dealer, seeing that Jack was not to be taken in, at length agreed to
the price offered.

In a short time, with their valises strapped to their saddles, their
pistols in their holsters, with serviceable swords by their sides, the
travellers took their way towards London. In those days not a few
highwaymen beset the roads, especially those leading from the chief
naval ports to London, as they were pretty certain of finding seamen and
officers travelling up and down--those travelling towards the
metropolis, generally with an ample supply of cash in their pockets.
Hounslow Heath, over which they had to pass, was one of the spots most
frequented by those knights of the highway. It did not matter much that
the horses possessed but little speed, as De Mertens, not havi