ent for, and
expecting to be punished from what the head-master told him, he thrust
the first book into his jacket-pocket which he could lay his hand on, to
amuse himself at the mast-head, and then ran on deck. As he surmised he
was immediately ordered aloft. He had not been there more than five
minutes, when a sudden squall carried away the main-topgallant mast, and
away he went flying over to leeward (for the wind: had shifted, and the
yards were now braced up). Had he gone overboard as he could not swim,
he would in all probability have been drowned; but the book in his
pocket brought him up in the jaws of the fore-brace, block, where he
hung until taken out by the main-topmen. Now it so happened that it was
a prayer-book which he had laid hold of in his hurry, and those who were
superstitious declared it was all owing to his having taken a religious
book with him. I did not think so, as any other book would have
answered the purpose quite as well: still the midshipman himself thought
so, and it was productive of good, as he was a sad scamp, and behaved
much better afterwards.

But I had nearly forgotten to mention a circumstance which occurred on
the day of our sailing, which will be eventually found to have had a
great influence upon my after-life. It was this I received a letter
from my father, evidently written in great vexation and annoyance,
informing me that my uncle, whose wife I have already mentioned had two
daughters, and was again expected to be confined, had suddenly broke up
his housekeeping, discharged every servant, and proceeded to Ireland
under an assumed name. No reason had been given for this unaccountable
proceeding; and not even my grandfather, or any of the members of the
family, had had notice of his intention. Indeed, it was by mere
accident that his departure was discovered, about a fortnight after it
had taken place. My father had taken a great deal of pains to find out
where he was residing; but although my uncle was traced to Cork, from
that town all clue was lost, but still it was supposed, from inquiries,
that he was not very far from thence. "Now," observed my father, in his
letter, "I cannot help surmising, that my brother, in his anxiety to
retain the advantages of a title to his own family, has resolved to
produce to the world a spurious child as his own, by some contrivance or
another. His wife's health is very bad, and she is not likely to have a
large family. Should t