en-gun brig, just fitting out--the _Opossum_,
Captain Cranley. Dicky, however, got leave for two or three weeks,
while I had to join at once. His friends got him the appointment
because it was considered better that he should see some service in a
small craft, with a smart officer, which our commander was said to be;
while I joined because I was not likely to get a better. I had gone to
see Larry as soon as I reached England, and found him and his wife
flourishing. When I got back to Portsmouth, while the brig was fitting
out, I paid him frequent visits, to the old man's great delight; and he
used to tell everybody he met what a first-rate sailor I had become,
winding up invariably, with a look of no little pride, "Ay, sir, and
'twas I taught him--didn't I, Master Neil?"

I must not forget to mention my kind uncle and aunt, and Daisy Cottage,
where I was always a welcome guest. He had paid the cutter off, but
expected soon to obtain another appointment. Of the Marlows I could
only hear that they had gone abroad; but as Miss Alice had promised to
write to my aunt as soon as they had settled, I was in hopes of hearing
about them. But I must get on with my story. The _Opossum_ was at sea,
running down Channel, with orders to wait at Falmouth for despatches and
mails for Halifax, Nova Scotia. With the exception of Dicky Sharpe, all
my brother officers were strangers to me, and mostly to each other, so
it took a little time before we became acquainted and shook into our
places. Captain Cranley, I found, was somewhat of the old school--very
kind-hearted and simple-minded, and not less strict towards himself than
towards others--with a nice sense of honour, and very sensitive of
rebuke. I was very glad to find that my old friend Jack Stretcher had
volunteered, with the hope of one day becoming a warrant-officer. I
must also mention the boatswain, who, though an oldish man, had not long
taken out his warrant. He was a prime seaman, with nothing very
remarkable in his appearance, except that he was tall and thin, and had
a long bushy beard, now somewhat grizzled. The aforesaid individual,
Mr Popples, was neat and clean, and had really good manners; his great
ambition being to rise in the world, though he had begun to ascend
rather late in life. We youngsters had a great respect for him,
notwithstanding some of his peculiarities, and should never have dreamed
of playing him the tricks we did old Chissel and Trundle