rvice, they don't care about indentures.) Well, Archy found it was
of no use, so he gets his kit and steps into the boat, shaking hands
with Andrew, who was shedding tears at the thoughts of parting with his
brother.

[Illustration: A SURPRISE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 297.]

"'It's no use crying, Andrew,' says he; 'I might have been second mate
in three months, as the captain promised me when my time was up, and
then I should have been protected, and might have risen from mate to
captain; but now it's all over with me. May you have better luck, and I
hope the captain will give you the berth instead of me.' Well, away went
Archy on board of the man-of-war, looking very gloomy, as you may
suppose. When he went aft on the quarter-deck the captain asked him his
name and where he came from.

"'Ah,' said the captain, 'and who are your friends? So Archy told him
that he had only his mother left. The captain asked him a good many more
questions as to whether he had been educated or not, and what he knew,
and then rated him A.B., and put him into the maintop. Well, Archie
remained there for about six months, and found that a man-of-war was not
so bad a place after all; and he was well treated by the captain and
officers, the more so as he was a good scholar. After the cruise was
over the frigate ran into the Channel, and anchored in Portland Roads,
where there were a great many vessels wind-bound. As usual, they sent
round to press the men. Now Archy was one of those sent in the boats,
and by this time, being a man-of-war's man all over, he was just as
eager to get the men as the others were. They boarded several vessels,
and got some men; about dark they boarded one which laid well in the
offing. The captain was not on board, and the men were turned up, but
they were very few, and all protected. Now Archy, who was up to the
hiding-places on board a merchant vessel, goes down with his cutlass,
and crawls about in the dark, until at last he gets hold of a man by the
heels. 'Come out, you thief,' cries he, 'come out directly, or I'll give
you an inch of my cutlass;' so the man, finding that he could not help
himself, backs out, stern foremost. Archy collars him and takes him on
deck, when who should it prove to be but his own brother Andrew!

"'Oh, Archy, Archy, I didn't think this of you!'

"'Well, Andrew, I didn't know it was you, but there's no help for it;
you must come and serve in the maintop along with me, and give up all