ive years, through storm and battles and
hardships, ever meet again!

Some have grown in honour, some have sunk in dishonour; some have
struggled on with services unrequited, and have become soured and
discontented; others again, in spite of their humble worldly position,
have retained good spirits and kindly feelings, and though now old
lieutenants with grey hairs, appear to be the same warm happy-hearted
beings they were when midshipmen. Should any of the readers not meet
with the success they desire, I hope that they will belong to the last
class; but I am very certain that they will not, unless, as midshipmen,
they avoid evil courses, and fall not into the paths of sin.

The morning after that paying-off dinner, Grey and I were up early, and
had breakfasted, when a yellow chaise drew up at the door of the Blue
Posts, and in the interior appeared seated a very dignified-looking
gentleman in plain clothes, whom we had no difficulty in distinguishing
as Mr Jonathan Johnson. Toby Bluff, who was on the box, got down and
opened the door, when Mr Johnson, getting out, inquired with a paternal
air, whether we were ready to start.

Our portmanteaus, flattened and wrinkled, containing the remainder of
those articles which on starting could with difficulty be stowed in our
bulky chests, being strapped on, we jumped in, followed by Mr Johnson,
and Toby remounting the box, up High Street we rattled at a tremendous
pace, exactly suited to our feelings.

"This is pleasant, isn't it, young gentlemen?" exclaimed Mr Johnson,
rubbing his hands. "I never like to let the grass grow under my feet
either ashore or afloat. Sometimes, to be sure, one has to sit still,
and wait to do nothing, the most trying thing in the world to do.
However, when you do keep moving, take care to move forward. Some
people move backward, remember. I have from time to time given you bits
of good advice, and I dare say that you have been surprised to hear them
from an old fellow who could spin such an outrageous yarn as my
veracious narrative, but I hope that its very extravagance will have
prevented you from supposing for a moment that I am capable of falsehood
myself, or would encourage it in others; still I must own that I have
been guilty of a piece of deceit, though I did not at the first intend
to deceive. I will tell you the circumstances of the case, and then
condemn me as I deserve. I told you that my wife was a lady of rank and
education.