ernal economy of a man-of-war, had provided me
with a chest of very moderate dimensions, at which no First-Lieutenant,
however strict, could cavil. It and I were deposited at the hotel, and
the waiter, seeing the kind way in which the Captain treated me, must
have taken me for a young lord at least, and ordered the porter to carry
it forthwith inside.

"That will do," said the Captain, as he eyed it. "And now you must come
and get measured for your uniforms, and procure other necessaries, as I
hope we may be off in two or three days at furthest."

I found that Captain Oliver had paid off the "Grecian," and commissioned
a new frigate, the "Orion," to which most of his officers and men had
been turned over, and that she was about to proceed to the Indian
station. "There was no use telling your poor mother this," he observed.
"The thoughts that you would be so long separated from her would only
have added to her grief at parting from you, and as far as you are
concerned, my boy, the time will soon pass by, and you will come back
nearly ready for a swab on your shoulder."

The tailor, under the Captain's inspection, having examined the contents
of my chest, made a note of the things I required besides. My outfit
was soon complete.

"And now, my lad, my coxswain will take charge of you and your chest,"
said the Captain, "and see you safely on board."

Greatly to my delight, Toby Kiddle soon afterwards made his appearance.
"Why, Mr Burton," he said, and I thought his eyes twinkled as he
addressed me with that title. "Why, you see, the Captain's last
coxswain slipped his cable a few months ago, and as I was one of the
Captain's oldest shipmates, and he knew he could trust me, he has
appointed me, and I never wish to serve under a better captain." Having
purchased a few other articles with Farmer Cocks' five-pound note, which
Toby Kiddle suggested I should find useful, we chartered a wherry to go
to the frigate.

Among other things I got two or three pounds of tobacco. "You see, Mr
Burton, if you deal it out now and then to the men, it will show them
that you have not forgotten them; and though you are on the
quarter-deck, that you are not proud, as some youngsters show
themselves, but still have a kindly feeling towards them." I gladly
followed his advice. As we approached the "Orion," and I observed her
handsome hull, her well-squared yards, and her trim and gallant
appearance, I felt proud of belonging to so