to quarter-master, and thence to boatswain--and I know my
duty, Mr Simple. But I've been punished for my folly ever since. I
formed ideas above my station in life, and cannot help longing to be a
gentleman. It's a bad thing for a man to have ideas above his station."

"You certainly must find some difference between the company in London
and that of the warrant officers."

"It's many years back now, sir; but I can't get over the feeling. I
can't 'sociate with them at all."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

I GO ON SERVICE, AND AM MADE PRISONER BY AN OLD LADY, WHO, NOT ABLE TO
OBTAIN MY HAND, TAKES PART OF MY FINGER AS A TOKEN--O'BRIEN RESCUES ME--
A LEE SHORE AND NARROW ESCAPE.

Two or three days after this conversation with Mr Chucks, the captain
ran the frigate in shore; and when within five miles, we discovered two
vessels under the land. We made all sail in chase, and cut them off
from escaping round a sandy point, which they attempted to weather.
Finding that they could not effect their purpose, they ran on shore
under a small battery of two guns, which commenced firing upon us. The
first shot, which whizzed between the masts, had to me a most terrific
sound; but the officers and men laughed at it, so of course I pretended
to do the same, but in reality I could see nothing to laugh at. The
captain ordered the starboard watch to be piped to quarters, and the
boats to be cleared, ready for hoisting out; we then anchored within a
mile of the battery, and returned the fire. In the meantime, the
remainder of the ship's company hoisted out and lowered down four boats,
which were manned and armed to storm the battery. I was very anxious to
go on service, and O'Brien, who had command of the first cutter, allowed
me to go with him, on condition that I stowed myself away under the
fore-sheets, that the captain might not see me before the boats had
shoved off. This I did, and was not discovered. We pulled in abreast
towards the battery, and in less than ten minutes the boats were run on
the beach, and we jumped out. The Frenchmen fired a gun at us as we
pulled close to the shore, and then ran away. There were a few
fishermen's huts close to the battery; and while two of the boats went
on board of the vessels, to see if they could be got off, and others
were spiking the guns and destroying the carriages, I went with O'Brien
to examine them: they were deserted by the people, as might have been
supposed, but there was a g