h?" I could not help
asking.

"As to that, maybe I have spun a tough one now and then," answered
Jerry, with a quizzical look.

"About losing your leg aboard the _Thunderer_, for instance," I
remarked.

"Well, I can't say quite so true as that, for I did lose my leg aboard
the _Thunderer_. To be sure, it was my wooden one. Why, don't you
mind, Ben, how you got a mop-stick and helped me to splice it? It
sounds better too, do you see, to talk of the _Thunderer_. The name
tickles the people's ears, and it wouldn't do to tell 'em I lost my leg
by falling down the main hatchway when half-seas over; so, do you see, I
generally sticks to the _Thunderer_ story, as it's nearer the truth than
any other, and doesn't so much hurt my conscience."

I had till then forgotten the circumstance, and I felt that it would not
do to press old Jerry too hard. I introduced him to Susan, who made him
welcome, for she had often heard me speak about the old man; she soon
got tea ready, and a few substantials; then I got out a bottle of rum
and mixed some grog, which I knew would be more to his taste. He was
very happy, and many a long yarn he spun. Harry listened to them
eagerly, and seemed much taken with him. I must remark that, after
Jerry had sat talking with us for some time, he completely changed his
tone and style of speaking; and though he still used what may be called
sailor's language, it was such as an officer or any other educated man
might have employed. Indeed, I remembered that in my early days, Jerry,
when in a serious mood, often showed that he was much superior in mind
to the generality of people in the position in which he was placed. He
afforded a melancholy example of the condition to which drunkenness and
idle habits may reduce a man, who, from birth and education, might have
played a respectable part in life. "That's a fine boy of yours,"
observed Jerry when Harry had gone out of the room. "I don't set up for
a prophet, but this much I'm sure of, that if you get him placed on the
quarter-deck, he will be a post-captain one of these days. Is he your
only one?"

I of course told Jerry that he was not my son, and described how he was
rescued from the _Royal George_.

"Well, that's a surprising history," said Jerry; "it's a wonder I never
heard of it. Do you see, I was at the time down in the West of England,
where my family used to live; and I thought I would go and have a look
at the old place and see