r
relations, I shall remind her of this anecdote; but she's a good woman
and a good wife to boot, only too fond of her sisters." At dusk he
equipped us both in sailor's jackets and trowsers, and desired us to
follow him boldly. He passed the guard, who knew him well. "What, to
sea already?" said one. "You have quarrelled with your wife." At which
they all laughed, and we joined. We gained the beach, jumped into his
little boat, pulled off to his vessel, and, in a few minutes, were under
weigh. With a strong tide and a fair wind we were soon clear of the
Scheldt, and the next morning a cutter hove in sight. We steered for
her, ran under her lee, O'Brien hailed for a boat, and Eustache,
receiving my bill for the remainder of his money, wished us success; we
shook hands, and in a few minutes found ourselves once more under the
British pennant.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

ADVENTURES AT HOME--I AM INTRODUCED TO MY GRANDFATHER--HE OBTAINS
EMPLOYMENT FOR O'BRIEN AND MYSELF, AND WE JOIN A FRIGATE.

As soon as we were on the deck of the cutter, the lieutenant commanding
her inquired of us in a consequential manner who we were. O'Brien
replied that we were English prisoners who had escaped. "Oh,
midshipmen, I presume," replied the lieutenant; "I heard that some had
contrived to get away."

"My name, sir," said O'Brien, "is Lieutenant O'Brien; and if you'll send
for a Steel's List, I will have the honour of pointing it out to you.
This young gentleman is Mr Peter Simple, Midshipman, and grandson to
the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Privilege."

The lieutenant, who was a little snubnosed man, with a pimply face, then
altered his manner towards us, and begged we would step down into the
cabin, where he offered what perhaps was the greatest of all luxuries to
us, some English cheese and bottled porter. "Pray," said he, "did you
see anything of one of my officers; who was taken prisoner when I was
sent with despatches to the Mediterranean fleet?"

"May I first ask the name of your lively little craft?" said O'Brien.

"The _Snapper_," replied the lieutenant.

"Och, murder! sure enough we met him. He was sent to Verdun, but we had
the pleasure of his company _en route_ as far as Montpelier. A
remarkably genteel, well-dressed young man, was he not?"

"Why, I can't say much about his gentility; indeed, I am not much of a
judge. As for his dress, he ought to have dressed well, but he never
did when on board of me.