514 A TALE OF A TAR. 



she conceived him her superior : so that all he could say or do, could 

 not induce her to join him in his repast. His meal being ended, 

 Nancy brought him his trousers. She had smoothened them, but 

 regretted that she had not the means of ironing them on the spot. 

 While she was explaining this, a voice was heard outside, inquiring 

 the way to town. Rattlin went to the entrance of the shed, and 

 called out: 



" Bear down to leward, gemmen ; and when you get to yonder 

 tall tree, tack to the larboard, and you'll be in parallel latitude with 

 town." 



" You give us our sailing directions like a seaman," said the 

 querist, who, together with his companion, were two midshipmen be- 

 longing to a frigate lying in port. They had been up the country, 

 shooting; but, being no ornithologists, had shot at the first birds 

 they came within distance of these happened to be three turkey- 

 buzzards, or tropical vultures, which are most useful birds; insomuch, 

 that there is here a heavy fine imposed on any one who destroys 

 them, and, being protected by the law, their tameness is astonishing ; 

 of this, the middies were not aware, and bagged their carrion carcasses 

 as excellent game. 



" You give us sailing drections like a seaman." Jack replied that, 

 until lately, he had been in the merchant service ; but that at present, 

 he was without a ship. 



" A good-looking lad like you," replied the midshipmen, " should 

 never need be in want of a ship, while his majesty's navy requires 

 hands. Why don't you volunteer on board our frigate, The Bull- 

 dog ?*' 



Jack held down his head, brushed his napless hat with his rag- 

 ged jacket sleeve, and, with a scrape of his left-leg, that he intended 

 for a bow, said, " He would be glad to volunteer, if any body would 

 press him;" for, like many more sailors, he conceived it more de- 

 grading to enter freely on board a man o' war than to be impressed. 

 The midshipmen smiled; and one of them said: 



" Well, Jack (he hit on his name by chance), since you appear to 

 wish it, I'll press you." This settled, Rattlin took leave of his 'ge- 

 nerous hostess. 



" But, before I go, lass, tell me your name/' 



" Nancy, Sir." 



" Nancy what?" 



" My mistress' name is Worthy ; and I call my second name after 

 her." 



" Nancy Worthy ! Can either of you gemmen lend me a pencil 

 and a piece of paper ? thank you, Sir ; and, as my hand is rather 

 better used to the narling-spike than the pen, I'll thank you, Sir, to 

 write down, ' Nancy Worthy/ for me ; for, when I gets on board, I 

 mean to mark it on my arm with indigo and gunpowder. But 

 what's the use of a man writing the name of a good friend on the 

 skin, when it is written already by gratitude here ?" said the seaman, 

 placing his hand on his breast. 



" My good fellow, you are quite sentimental !" said one of the 

 midshipmen. 



