274 NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



committed an inexpiable offence had he not paid the full price of a 

 gold fore-and-after. 



" But I say, Jack/' said Will Gibbon, " what did the first-luff 

 want with you ?" 



" Oh, about that 'ere fore-topsail-yard ; he's going to shift it to- 

 morrow, and he asked if it was all ready, so that we might be smart." 



" What are you going to shift it for is there any thing the matter 

 with it ?" 



" No, nothing the matter, only for exercise ; but I must go get a 

 hawser up, and when I come back I'll tip you a stave that shall 

 astonish you all ; we shall have plenty of time, 'cause they arn't a 

 going to pipe the hammocks down till eight bells to-night." 



" Well, well, lad, bear a hand, but remember that you arn't coming 

 your double recover over me with your yarns ; I've doubled both 

 Capes, my bo'," said Will Gibbon ; " so when you want to do that 

 sort o' thing, you had better tell it to the marines ; the blue jackets 

 won't believe you, lad." 



" Oh ! very well," said Jack, " dog eat dog, won't do ; you must 

 swear to what I say, and I'll take my oath you never told a lie in 

 your life ;" and away flew Jack. 



Tom Bennett then signified his intention of spinning 'em a little 

 bit o' a yarn, just to fill up the time till Jack returned, who was 

 universally allowed to be the best yarner on board. 



(< But I say, lads, before I begin," said Tom, t( whose the feller as 

 will give me a pipe of bacche, for I arn't got none cut up ?" A 

 dozen tobacco-boxes were immediately thrust forward, for Tom was 

 a general favourite among the ship's company, being a smart sailor 

 and a good-tempered fellow. After having selected one of the many 

 offers, he filled his pipe, and having lit it, it was immediately stuck 

 in one corner of his mouth, that it might not prevent the use of the 

 tongue, and after two or three preliminary puffs, by way of tasting 

 his tobacco, he commenced, " When I first went to sea I entered on 

 board the old Eridymion, a forty-six, and at that time one o' the 

 largest frigates in the service, 'cause you know we had none o' them 

 razers then, such as the Barham Alfred or them sort ; and precious 

 lucky a fellow thought himself to get into such a craft ; they were 

 the ones for making prize-money sailed like a witch soon went 

 down to her bearings, but when she was once there, she was as stiff 

 as a church. Well, we were sent up this way, and we went up the 

 Arches (Jack always, and indeed many others who are more en- 

 lightened, calls the Archipelago the Arches), joined the admiral at 

 Smyrna, and after lying there some time, we got our orders to go to 

 Vourla and water, and then make our way to cruise off Milo, but to 

 come back to Smyrna to get our orders, and take a convoy of mar- 

 chantmen with us, 'cause you know Vourla is no more nor twenty- 

 two or three miles, the ship's boats used to run down there to take 

 the ' hofficers' to shoot. Well, the captain was to dine with the ad- 

 miral that day, and we to start in the evening after he had done 

 dinner ; so directly the skipper left us to go on board the admiral to 

 dinner, we turned the hands up unmoor there it was, you know, 

 * Carpenters, ship the bars.' ' Tell the master's mate of the main- 



