ld, an only son, yet go to
sea he would; and his parents never had refused him anything, so they
let him have his will, though it almost broke their hearts. Jack
promised to take the best care of him he could. Harry was not exactly a
pickle, but he had very little notion of taking care of himself; so Jack
had quite enough to do to look after him, in addition to Queerface and
Sancho. Harry and Sancho were very great friends, but Queerface
evidently looked upon him as a rival in his master's affections, and
bore him no good-will. This feeling of the monkey was increased by the
tricks which the young midshipman played him whenever he had the
opportunity. At last he was never able to approach Queerface without a
rope in his hand, which he held behind his back, or doubled up in his
pocket. The monkey, in the most sagacious way, would skip about till he
had ascertained whether the weapon was there or not. If it was there,
as soon as he caught sight of it, he would spring up into the rigging
and sit on a ratline, as quiet and demure as a judge, without attempting
to retaliate.

On board the frigate there was little to interrupt the usual routine.
Murray had carried one of his parrots with him, and the sagacious bird
afforded almost as much amusement as did Bully Pigeon, who soon showed
that he was very little altered from what he had been in his youth. He
could not bully, but he could give abundant evidence of being still an
arrant donkey. Pigeon now called himself a philosopher, and used to be
very fond of broaching his philosophical principles, as he denominated
his nonsense. One day, when dining in the gun-room, he began as usual.
As he drank his wine he grew bolder and bolder in his assertions. At
last he declared that he did not believe that there was a place of
punishment after death. He had taken it into his head that the surgeon
would side with him.

"I'm sure, doctor, a sensible man like you will not assert that such is
a fact?" he continued. "What use would there be in it?"

"I'll tell you what, ma laddie, there's one vary good use it will be put
to, and that will be to stow away all such vicious, ignorant donkeys as
you are," answered the doctor with great emphasis and deliberation.

Pigeon was no way disconcerted at this somewhat powerful rebuke, but
continued as before. Indeed, nothing is so difficult as to make a
conceited fool cease from talking folly. At last the first lieutenant
struck his f