The Merry Past 



they imagind tehe sailor was going to support, sat 

 down to regale themselves on whatever they could 

 get ; but their jollity was presently disturbed by the 

 entrance of a stalwart figure, who advanced towards 

 the table where they were all seated, and presented 

 the watch. " Gentlemen," said he, " I wish to know 

 its owner, as from a message sent me a little while ago 

 I presume he is ' shortsighted,' and have brought him 

 this pair of spectacles " — pointing to a case of large 

 pistols he held under his arm — " to remedy his 

 defect." This seemed a bad joke to the bucks. The 

 captain deliberately put the watch into his fob, with 

 a declaration that secured it to him for ever : " Gentle- 

 men, lam sorry for intruding, as I find the owner is 

 not among you ; whenever he claims it he shall have it, 

 but never without a trial of my ' spectacles.' " 



A gentleman from London had agreed with a land- 

 lord at Portsmouth for the use of three rooms, for 

 which he was to pay a guinea per day ; but immedi- 

 ately receiving a letter from home which demanded 

 his instant attention in town, he wished to give up his 

 lodgings, making some compensation to his host for 

 the few hours he had occupied them ; but the landlord 

 would not abate anything of the original agreement. 

 A naval gentleman, who stood by, seeing the imposi- 

 tion about to be practised, offered to take the apart- 

 ments on the original agreement, which tender was 

 cheerfully acquiesced with. At night, he brought 

 with him his boatswain and cabin boy, and gave them 

 directions every three hours to fi'pe all hands I This 

 order was punctually performed for three successive 



no 



