e service;
but he entered it again, and, from what I am told, I shouldn't be
surprised but what, if his early history isn't known, he'll work his way
up again. The thing that is most against him is his extravagance.
Every farthing he makes in prize-money or pay he spends on shore, in
acting the fine gentleman. People can't, indeed, tell how he gets all
the money he spends. Of course, if it was known on board the pranks he
plays on shore, his leave would be stopped; but he is so clever that he
humbugs the officers, and they think him one of the most steady and best
men. You see there's another thing which brings him into favour with
the captain and first lieutenant; he has a knack of finding men and
getting them to join the ship, by making her out to be the most
comfortable ship in the service, and there's no man knows better how to
ferret out seamen, and to lead a pressgang down upon a score of them
together. I learned all these things from different people, do ye see,
but putting this and that together, I made out my story as I tell it to
you. To my mind, Charles Iffley is a man I would stand clear of.
Depend on't, he's a deep one."

Jerry Vincent stayed with us some time, and then he said he had an
engagement and must go away. As he did so he beckoned me out of the
room, and I accompanied him to the door.

"I'll tell you what it is, Mr Weatherhelm," said he, "you have been
bred a seaman, and the pressgangs are very hot at work just now. They
take everybody who has been at sea, no matter what his present calling--
whether he has a wife and family depending on him or not. Now Iffley
knows that you have no protection, and he has the power of getting hold
of you. From what I hear, he's just the man to use it. If you was his
bosom friend, he'd do it; but if he owes you a grudge, depend on it
he'll not let you slip out of his gripe. He'd have been down on you
before now, but he got a broken head the other night, in attacking the
crew of a merchantman just come home from a three years' cruise round
the Horn, and had no fancy to be sent off to sea again when they had
only just put their foot on shore. However, he is now on his legs
again. If you stay here, you'll hear something of him before long; but
take my advice, just rig out as an old farmer, or a black-coated
preacher, or something as unlike yourself as you can, and take your wife
and go and live away somewhere up in the country. It's your only
chance.