630 The Man of Letters. £Nov. 



that if the amount was not paid within three days, he must put the 

 business into his lawyer's hands. Jack, though he hated the name of a 

 lawyer worse than six-years-old junk, made up his mind not to pay 

 the demand, for two reasons : first, because it was not justly due under 

 any pretence ; and secondly, because he had not the means wherewith 

 to pay it. The word " lawyer," however, had shaken his nerves, which 

 against a cannon-ball would have been immoveable ; and not knowing 

 ,. what might be the consequence, if he should be arrested, he determined 

 to run for it, and play at hide and seek, till his ship should again be 

 ready to sail. But where was he to conceal himself? He had left 

 himself well nigh pennyless by paying £1500, of the value of which he 

 had never received one farthing ; and by his creditor having previously 

 been to a certain extent an associate of his, he was unfortunately ac- 

 quainted with most of Jack's haunts, so as to know where to look for 

 him, when the alarm of his retreat should be given. Under these cir- 

 cumstances. Jack remembered the invitation that I had given him to 

 pay a visit to the hall, at Eye ; and though he could not absolutely pro- 

 mise himself, that Mr. Nathaniel Gorgle, the inexorable, should not 

 trace him thither, still it appeared to be the best chance of escape that 

 presented itself to his observation. 



" Besides," cried he, after having narrated all these circumstances, 

 " I have another scheme for misleading him ; and that, to tell you the 

 truth, was why I would not trust your servant with my name. I have 

 been thinking that you can pass me off here by some fictitious cognomen, 

 and put me into another line of life into the bargain ; so that, should in- 

 quiry be made in this quarter, it may be blunted by hearing that you 

 have neither a Howden nor a sailor with you." 



" Admirably thought of," cried I, " and the name, at all events, may 

 be managed easily enough. Suppose we christen you after our old 

 shipmate, Holland : I am sure that if he were here, he would lend you 

 his name, and much more, with all his soul. But how about your new 

 vocation ?" 



" Why, that is rather a puzzle. In the first place, it must not be any 

 thing mechanical, for I don't know Scotch granite from Bath stone — a 

 turning lathe from a steam engine — or a loom from a shiittle ; so that if 

 any one asked me a question on one of these subjects, I should be posed 

 in a twinkling." 



" But do you fancy you would be any better off with one of the 

 learned professions at your back ?" 



" Worse, Tom, worse," cried the newly-christened ]Mr. Holland ; " if 

 any one was to call me a lawyer, I should be ready to knock him down ; 

 and as to a physician, I don't even know where the pulse lies." 

 " What do you say to being a doctor of divinity .''" 

 " Lord bless you," cried Jack, " a ' damme'e' would slip out in the 

 first half hour, and ruin the whole. The only thing that I can think of 

 is, that you should pass me off as a man of letters." 



"A what!" cried I astounded ; " why I don't think that you ever 

 read three books in your life." 



" There is some truth in that ; but then it opens a wider field for ori- 

 ginality. Besides, you cannot forget, that I always had the reputation 

 of keeping the best log in the whole ship. Let me tell you, that 

 can't be done without some knowledge of letters. I like the man of 



