SMART LAD 35 



tenant, " you will do duty in the foretop starboard watch ; 

 and if you don't answer to your muster, I'll start you as 

 I would any foremast man." 



" Hard cheese for a gentleman's son," said one or two 

 of his messmates ; but he submitted, and did his duty so 

 well, that one evening, Avhen reefing topsails, the captain 

 observing him said, addressing the first lieutenant. 

 Graves, — 



" Who is that smart lad on the foretopsail yard-arm, 

 at the starboard ear-ring ? " 



'' That's Parry, sir." 



" Call him do"\vn," said the captain, then first relenting, 

 " and send him aft." 



This gentleman is now on the reserved list of com- 

 manders, and the author has had an opportunity of 

 renewing his acquaintance, after an interval of more than 

 forty years. 



This done, they left the cabin, when the captain, 

 turning to the sufferer, who stood with tears in his eyes, 

 rubbing the part which had been the seat of so much 

 pain, admonished him, in very strong terms, on the 

 impropriety of his conduct, in repeating or divulging 

 anything he might have heard at his table. He then 

 addressed us youngsters, and warned us never to be 

 guilty of the same thing ; so saying, he waved his hand, 

 when we bowed and left the cabin. 



And * never have I forgotten the lesson thus early 

 implanted in my mind, which is applicable to all 

 stations and ages ; for mischief, even to death, has been 

 caused by words being incautiously repeated. The 

 whole scene, from the beginning to end, made such 



