94 HONEST OLD JOE. 



attribute his uniform kind and friendly 

 deportment towards me. 



It was not long before I took a final 

 leave of my shipmates, and from the manner 

 of their farewell I had reason to believe they 

 were sincere in their hopes of my restora- 

 tion to health, and to the service. I 

 shook each of the ward-room officers 

 by the hand, one after the other ; and 

 fancied I saw a moisture in the eye 

 of the plain, weather-beaten old master 

 (Baker), with whom, for my little know- 

 ledge of navigation, I was a great fa- 

 vourite (he scarcely ever taking an observa- 

 tion without me), when he grasped my 

 hand with both his own, and uttered his 

 benediction on my head. The first -lieu- 

 tenant, honest old Joe, as he was called, 

 was not behind at expressing his regret 

 at my leaving the ship; while the officer 

 of my watch, who was more like a relative 

 than a superior, while giving me an affec- 

 tionate grasp said, he hoped on his return 



