, looked to you, my good sir; but then, you know, your sight is
none of the best," sneered the captain, between whom and his officer
there appeared to be some jealousy.

Mr. Griffiths, though he had jested at his infirmity in speaking to
me, writhed under this allusion to it from another. He gave his answer
with spirit.

"Captain Wilding, I have done what you ordered me in impressing these
men. If you don't think them serviceable I shall be happy to set them
ashore again."

The other waved his napkin between them as if he would have brushed
away a fly.

"There, there, my worthy man, that is quite enough! I have seen the
tarry scoundrels, and as long as they have not the smallpox, I am
content. Bestow them as you please."

Thereupon we were led into the fore part of the ship, to be rated
according to our several abilities. And it fell out luckily for me,
for the lieutenant, when he discovered that I had had some education,
and could cast accounts--a business of which he plainly knew
nothing--informed me that he believed the purser stood in need of an
assistant, and offered to recommend me to him. This kindness on his
part I gladly closed with, not that I liked the duty better than the
common service of a ship, but because I guessed that I should thereby
be delivered from the molestations of the crew, there being no greater
pleasure to the vulgar of every profession than to rough-handle and
abuse those who come newly amongst them. And herein, as it turned out,
I had judged rightly, and for so long as I remained upon that ship I
suffered no ill-usage, except at the hands of my superiors.

But before this was settled I had a favour to ask of the worthy
lieutenant.

"One thing I must bargain for, with your leave, Lieutenant Griffiths,"
I said to him, speaking boldly, as I discerned him to be favourable to
me, "and that is, that if we should come to fighting with the enemy I
am to take part with the rest."

Mr. Griffiths laughed when he heard this demand.

"Why, there now," he cried, slapping his thigh, "if I couldn't have
sworn that you were one of the sort we wanted directly I clapped eyes
on you! Never fear, lad, you shall have your fill of fighting before
we go into dock again; for--I will tell you so much--we are under
orders to join Admiral Watson's fleet at the Nore, and a man with a
healthier stomach for such work never hoisted pennant on a
three-decker."

"I am glad, at all events, that we shall sail un