lly swept through it in a few minutes, and
then find yourself again in comparatively smooth water.

"Yes," replied I; "it is very strong to-night, from the long continuance
of the easterly wind."

"Exactly so, Tom," continued Bramble. "I've often thought that getting
into that Race is just like failing in love."

"Why so?" replied I, rather pettishly, for I was not pleased at his
referring to the subject.

"I'll tell you why, Tom," said Bramble; "because, you see, when we get
into the Race it's all boiling and bubbling and tossing about--rudder
and sails are of no use; and you are carried along by a fierce tide,
which there's no resisting, with no small damage to the upper works,
until you are fairly out again, and find breath to thank God for it.
Now, aren't that like love?"

"I suppose it is as you say so; you know best."

"Well, I think I do know best; because, you see, I have long been clear
of it. I never was in love but once, Tom; did I ever tell you about it?"

"Never," replied I.

"Well, then, as 'twill pass time away, I'll just give you the long and
the short of it, as the saying is. When I was just about twenty, and a
smart lad in my own opinion, I was on board of a transport, and we had
gone round to Portsmouth with a load of timber for the dockyard. It was
not my first trip there, for, you see, the transport was employed
wholly on that service; and during my cruising on shore I had taken up
my quarters at the Chequer Board, a house a little way from the common
Hard, in the street facing the dockyard wall; for, you see, Tom, it was
handy to us, as our ship laid at the wharf, off the mast pond, it being
just outside the dockyard gates. The old fellow who kept the house was
as round as a ball, for he never started out by any chance from one
year's end to another; his wife was dead; and he had an only daughter,
who served at the bar, in a white cap with blue streamers; and when her
hair was out of papers, and she put on clean shoes and stockings, which
she did every day after dinner, she was a very smart neat built little
heifer; and, being an only daughter, she was considered as a great catch
to any one who could get hold of her. She had quite the upper hand of
her father, who dared not say a word; and with others she would give
herself no few airs. At one time she would be as sweet as sugar, and the
next, without any cause, she'd 'wonder at your imperance.' It was
difficult to know how to take her. It