ELEVATED POSITION 85 



a moment's thought of the danger or the consequences, 

 whether instigated by the rather unusual quantity of 

 spirits I had taken with my pipe, or prompted by an 

 innate love of mischief, I, without checking her, guided 

 my high-spirited but well-trained black mare up the steps 

 and in at the door. My friend, at all times ready for 

 what is now vulgarly called a lark, followed me ; and 

 there we sat, erect in our saddles, our swords drawn, and 

 our pistols in the holsters, to the amazement and conster- 

 nation of the whole party. 



After the screaming of the softer sex and the up- 

 roarious lauo'hter of the other, which so foolish an 

 exhibition had at first elicited, had somewhat subsided, 

 our first consideration — for we had none before — was 

 how to beat a retreat from an assembly whose numbers 

 were overpowering, and whose merriment, I began to 

 suspect, might speedily be changed into anger at our rash 

 and indecent intrusion. The company consisted chiefly 

 of dockyard mechanics, " their sweethearts and spouses," 

 always a formidable body, and ready to resent any such 

 impudent and outrageous innovation on their evening's 

 amusement. 



Nevertheless, preserving my presence of mind, I very 

 deliberately dismounted, and taking hold of the mare's 

 bridle, with a soldier's step, caused her to keep pace with 

 me down the rude and ruinous staircase we had but a few 

 minutes before recklessly ascended. The sergeant-major, 

 following my example, was equally successful in gaining 

 the road in safety, and our daujierous frolic ended in 

 treating the whole assembly with sundry bowls of punch 

 (we were none of us niggards on such occasions), which 



