if I remained. The sailors, whose profits in the voyage were regulated
by the number of fish taken, thought this an excellent reason for
throwing me overboard; and had there not been two sail in sight,
standing towards them, I certainly should have had some more adventures
to narrate. At last they consented to put me on board of one which had
hoisted French colours. She was from Havre, and having twelve fish on
board, was returning home. The captain consented to give me a passage,
and in two months I was once more in my native country.

Such, your highness, were the adventures of my Third Voyage.

"Well, the story of the Island was rather too long," observed the pacha,
"but altogether, it was amusing. Mustapha, I think it is worth ten
pieces of gold."

Chapter X

The next day the renegade commenced his fourth voyage in the following
words.

FOURTH VOYAGE OF HUCKABACK.

Your highness may imagine, that I ought to have been pretty well tired
of going to sea, after so many mishaps; but there is a restlessness
attending a person who has once been a rover, that drives him from
comfort and affluence in possession, to seek variety through danger and
difficulty in perspective. Yet I cannot say that it was my case in the
present instance, for I was forced to embark against my inclination. I
had travelled through France to Marseilles, with a small sum of money
presented me by the captain of the ship who gave me a passage home, for
I could no longer bear the idea of not again seeing my father, if he was
alive; and I felt no apprehensions from the circumstance of the lady
abbess, as I knew how soon every thing in this world is forgotten, and
that I was so altered from time and hardship, that I was not likely to
be recognised.

On my arrival at my native city, I proceeded to the well-known shop,
where I had been accustomed to exercise my talents, under my father's
superintendence. The pole was extended from the door, the basin still
turned round in obedience to the wind; but when I entered the shop,
which was crowded with people (for it was Saturday afternoon), I
perceived that all the operators were unknown to me, and that my father
was not there. One of the expectants, who waited his turn, politely made
room for me beside him on the bench, and I had time to look about me
before I made any interrogations.

The shop had been newly painted, a looking-glass of considerable
dimensions had been added, and the whol