t I will," said I; "and I congratulate you with all my heart.
I am glad I have been the first to communicate such pleasing
intelligence; and now, the least you can do in return is to give me an
account of yourself since we parted."

"Why, I'm not in the best mood in the world for storytelling," replied
Musgrave; "this unexpected good fortune has rather destroyed my
equilibrium; however, I will brush up my memory for your
gratification, though the retrospect will be anything but agreeable to
myself. You remember, I daresay, the day when I left school; on my
memory, at least, the recollection of it is as vivid as if it were
yesterday. When I drove away in my uncle's carriage, I thought I was
going home on a temporary visit, and little imagined I was never to
return. When I arrived at home, I found in the drawing-room with my
father a little, active, dark-looking man, with a stern, prompt
manner, who was introduced to me as Captain Fleetwood."

"Richard, my boy," said my father, "you have often expressed a wish to
go to sea, and I have now an opportunity of gratifying you. My friend
Captain Fleetwood has volunteered to take you out with him as
midshipman; and, as I know I could not intrust you to better hands, I
am glad to avail myself of his offer. The warning is rather a short
one, as you must be on board your ship within a fortnight; you have no
time to lose; and I will accompany you to town to prepare your
equipment. We will leave this to-morrow morning at nine o'clock."

I was rather staggered by this sudden announcement; for, though it had
always been the dearest wish of my heart to go to sea, yet there was
something so unexpected in the accomplishment of it, that I repented
of my choice. My heart sank at the thought of such a sudden parting
from home and all that was dear to me; besides, as I had just left
school, I would have preferred having a few days' holiday, and an
opportunity of strutting in my sailor's dress before the eyes of my
admiring schoolfellows. However, there was no help for it now--my lot
was cast for life; and, in a fortnight's time, I was fairly shipped on
board the Anne, a snug free-trader, bound to the East Indies. I pass
over the various details of my early career; you may find an accurate
description of my first feelings and impressions, and those of five
hundred others, on first joining a ship, in any circulating library in
the kingdom. I encountered the usual hardships, and was exposed to