approbation of
his conduct, although very regardless of the feeling of others,
determined to pay this off on Jack, the very first convenient
opportunity. Jack dined in the cabin, and was very much pleased to find
that every one drank wine with him, and that everybody at the captain's
table appeared to be on an equality. Before the dessert had been on the
table five minutes, Jack became loquacious on his favourite topic; all
the company stared with surprise at such an unheard-of doctrine being
broached on board of a man-of-war; the captain argued the point, so as
to controvert, without too much offending, Jack's notions, laughing the
whole time that the conversation was carried on.

It will be observed, that this day may be considered as the first in
which Jack really made his appearance on board, and it also was on this
first day that Jack made known, at the captain's table, his very
peculiar notions. If the company at the captain's table, which
consisted of the second lieutenant, purser, Mr Jolliffe, and one of the
midshipmen, were astonished at such heterodox opinions being started in
the presence of the captain, they were equally astonished at the cool,
good-humoured ridicule with which they were received by Captain Wilson.
The report of Jack's boldness, and every word and opinion that he had
uttered (of course much magnified) was cirulated that evening through
the whole ship; it was canvassed in the gun-room by the officers, it was
descanted upon by the midshipmen as they walked the deck; the captain's
steward held a levee abreast of the ship's funnel, in which he narrated
this new doctrine. The sergeant of marines gave his opinion in his
berth that it was damnable. The boatswain talked over the matter with
the other warrant officers, till the grog was all gone, and then
dismissed it as too dry a subject: and it was the general opinion of the
ship's company, that as soon as they arrived at Gibraltar Bay, our hero
would bid adieu to the service, either by being sentenced to death by a
court-martial, or by being dismissed, and towed on shore on a grating.
Others, who had more of the wisdom of the serpent, and who had been
informed by Mr Sawbridge that our hero was a lad who would inherit a
large property, argued differently, and considered that Captain Wilson
had very good reason for being so lenient--and among them was the second
lieutenant. There were but four who were well inclined towards Jack--to
wit, the c