540 NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 



father, ' and then let him change his , clothes, and bring him up on 

 the quarter deck I'll flog you, you young rascal / so down he went, 

 and when he was gone, thes kipper turned to the first-leaftenant, and 

 said, e that's a noble boy, I'll put him on the quarter deck/ ' He de- 

 serves it, Sir/ says the first-leaftenant, e if we may judge by his be- 

 ginning, he'll be a very hornet among the Frenchmen. " Ay, that 

 he will/ says the skipper ; ' but here he comes, let's hear what he's 

 got to say for himself. Well, young scamp, come here, did you 

 think you would be of any service, that you jumped overboard to- 

 night?' ' No, Sir/ says the boy, as bold as possible. ' No ! well 

 then, what made you jump overboard ?' ' Because, Sir/ says he, 

 ' I want to be an admiral, and I thought if I did any thing to 

 attract your attention you'd make me a midshipman, and if you 

 do that, I'll answer for it I'll be a post-captain before long/ ' You 

 did, did you/ says the skipper, < then I'll be d d if I don't 

 make you a midshipman this very minute ; send the clerk here,' he 

 says, says he, ' and tell him to rate Mr. Wm. Watts, midshipman ; but 

 my boy/ says the skipper, ' suppose you had been drowned ?' { If 

 I had, Sir/ says he, ' I shouldn't have wanted a rating, and you 

 would have said there dies a brave fellow, and I wouldn't wish any 

 thing better to be said of me/ Well, so after he was rated, and 

 things had got put to rights a bit, the skipper went below and the 

 watch was called, so down went Watts and my father, and when they 

 got below, my father says, ' Mr. you're Mr. Watts now, but don't 

 think/ says he, ' because you are a reefer, you are going to get off the 

 thrashing I promised you for trying to throw away your life that way, 

 and leave me all alone without a son/ ' You shall be my father still, 

 Short/ says he, throwing himself into my father's arms ; ' for I have 

 neither father or mother. But I say, Short, promise me one thing/ 

 ' What's that ?' ' Why if ever I'm a captain, will you sail with me ?' 

 ' That I will, my boy, never leave you again as long as I live if ever 

 you are a captain I'll be your coxswain, so there's my hand on it/ He 

 shook my father's hand heartily, and they then turned into their ham- 

 mocks. The next morning, when they turned out, they found the wea- 

 ther had moderated, and the ship had got double-reefed topsails and top- 

 gallarit-sails on her. When the skipper came on deck, he said, ' Quar- 

 ter-master, tell Mr. Watts I want him/ So down went the quarter- 

 master, and found him with my father, eating his breakfast in the 

 berth. ' Mr. Watts/ says the quarter-master, laughing, ' the cap- 

 tain wants you, if you please, Sir/ ' Up you go/ says my father, 

 ' and I hope this will be the last time you'll ever set cheek-by-jowl 

 with me over a basin of cocoa/ When he got on deck, the skipper 

 says, f Hallo, Mr. Watts, what do you mean by coming on the quar- 

 ter-deck without your uniform ?' ( I haven't got any uniform, Sir/ 

 ' Oh I'jyou haven't, haven't you ? very well; you shall haveonejvery 

 soon. Send my steward, and the ship's tailor here/ 'Ay, ay, 

 Sir/ Up they came. ' Steward, go into my cabin, and fetch up one 

 of my jackets ; and you, tailor, measure this young gentleman for 

 a jacket/ Well, all this was soon done ; and young Watts was soon 

 walking up and down the quarter-deck as an officer. ' And now, my 

 fine little feller/ says the skipper, ' directly we get into harhour, I'll 



