y in the short intervals which chance offers them of mixing
with their fellow-men, my wonder changed to pity.

"A man in a ship," says Dr. Johnson, "is worse than a man in a jail; for
the latter has more room, better food, and commonly better company, and
is in safety."

CHAPTER XII.--Monsieur Dubois.

"I sha'nt fight with fistesses, it's wulgar!--but if he's a mind to
anything like a gemman, here's my card!"

The love-lorn Matthew had departed, no doubt unable to bear the sight of
that staircase whose boards no longer resounded with the slip-slap of the
slippers of that hypocritical beauty, "his Mary." With him, the romance
of the landing-place, and the squad, had evaporated; and I had no
sympathies, no pursuits, in common with the remaining "boys"--my
newly-acquired post, too, nearly occupied the whole of my time, while my
desire of study increased with the acquisition of books, in which all my
pocket-money was expended.

One day, my good friend, Mr. Wallis, entered the office, followed by a
short, sharp-visaged man, with a sallow complexion; he was dressed in a
shabby frock, buttoned up to the throat--a rusty black silk neckerchief
supplying the place of shirt and collar.

He stood just within the threshold of the door, holding his napless hat
in his hand.

"Well, Wally, my buck," cried my master, extending his hand.

Mr. Wallis advanced close to his elbow, and spoke in a whisper; but I
observed, by the direction of his eyes, that the subject of his
communication was the stranger.

"Ha!" said Mr. Timmis, "it's all very well, Walley--but I hate all
forriners;--why don't he go back to Frogland, and not come here, palming
himself upon us. It's no go--not a scuddick. They're all a parcel o'
humbugs--and no mistake!"

As he uttered this gracious opinion sufficiently loud to strike upon the
tympanum of the poor fellow at the door, I could perceive his dark eyes
glisten, and the blood tinge his woe-begone cheeks; his lips trembled
with emotion: there was an evident struggle between offended gentility,
and urgent necessity.

Pride, however, gained the mastery; and advancing the right foot, he
raised his hat, and with peculiar grace bowing to the two
friends--"Pardon, Monsieur Vallis," said he, in tremulous accents, "I am
'de trop;' permit, me to visdraw"--and instantly left the office.

Mr. Timmis, startled by his sudden exit, looked at Mr. Wallis for an
explanation.

"By ___!" exclaimed Mr. Walli