e you wish it, all the world
shall know it."

My father put his colt into his pocket, and went to unlock the door: my
mother, perceiving what he was about, immediately rose and hastened
upstairs to her own room. My father then told the neighbours what had
occurred, and why my mother had been punished, and the verdict of
Fisher's Alley was, "sarved her right." Ben the Whaler, who was outside
with the others, espoused my father's cause, and as soon as the people
dispersed, my father invited him to join him in his pipe and pot.

Little Virginia, still terrified, had crept up to her mother. I, on the
contrary, felt the highest respect for one who could dare to punish my
mother, who had so often punished me; and the knowledge that he was my
father inspired me with a feeling of tenderness towards him which I
could not repress. I was old enough to understand why my mother had
received such treatment, and I could not feel angry with my father; I
therefore stayed below, and went for the porter as was required.

I believe that at first it had been my father's intentions to have
administered a much severer castigation to my mother, and then to have
left the house, taking me with him, for he had not been apprised of the
birth of Virginia; but whatever were his intentions before he came, or
for the morrow, it is certain that he continued to smoke and talk with
old Ben the Whaler till a very late hour, while I sat by and listened.

CHAPTER SIX.

A BRIGHT PLEASANT EVENING AFTER A SQUALL, IN WHICH THE ART OF ANGLING IS
INTRODUCED IN A WAY WHICH WOULD HAVE ADDED TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF IZAAC
WALTON HIMSELF.

"I beg pardon, messmate," said Ben, as he and my father became more
sociable; "but may I make so bold as to ask you how you contrived to get
that seam across your figure-head? You did say something about a
Frenchman, if I heard right; and as the war is now of two years'
standing, I suppose you've had a rap or two at Mounseer."

"'Xpect I have," replied my father. "Well, old chap, I'll just wet my
whistle, and then I'll tell you all about it, and it won't take long
neither. The boats were ordered away--"

"Of what ship, messmate?"

"Very true, I began in the middle. Well, it was in the ship I now
belongs to, the Oudacious--we were with the squadron off Ferrol;--signal
made to chase south-east--clapt every stitch on her after two gun-boats
who were running down in-shore. Light winds--got well in for the land,
and t