rd of a
flag-ship. Just before they were sitting down to table, the Admiral
wishing to know how the wind was, and having been not a little vexed
with the slow progress of his nephew's nautical acquirements, said,
"Now, Mr Littlebrain, go up, and bring me down word how the wind is; and
mark me, as, when you are sent, nine times out of ten you make a
mistake, I shall now bet you five guineas against your dinner, that you
make a mistake this time: so now be off and we will soon ascertain
whether you lose your dinner or I lose my money. Sit down, gentlemen; we
will not wait for Mr Littlebrain."

Jack did not much admire this bet on the part of his uncle, but still
less did he like the want of good manners in not waiting for him. He had
just time to see the covers removed, to scent a whiff of the goose, and
was off.

"The Admiral wants to know how the wind is, sir," said Jack to the
officer of the watch.

The officer of the watch went to the binnacle, and setting the wind as
nearly as he could, replied, "Tell Sir Theophilus that it is _S.W. and
by W. 3/4 W._"

"That's one of those confounded long points that I never can remember,"
cried Jack, in despair.

"Then you'll '_get goose_,' as the saying is," observed one of the
midshipmen.

"No; I'm afraid that I sha'n't get any," replied Jack, despondingly.
"What did he say, S.W. and by N. 3/4 E.?"

"Not exactly," replied his messmate, who was a good-natured lad, and
laughed heartily at Jack's version. "S.W. and by W. 3/4 W."

"I never can remember it," cried Jack. "I'm to have five guineas if I
do, and no dinner if I don't; and if I stay here much longer, I shall
get no dinner at all events, for they are all terribly peckish, and
there will be none left."

"Well, if you'll give me one of the guineas, I'll show you how to manage
it," said the midshipman.

"I'll give you two, if you'll only be quick and the goose a'n't all
gone," replied Jack.

The midshipman wrote down the point from which the wind blew, at full
length, upon a bit of paper, and pinned it to the rim of Jack's hat.
"Now," said he, "when you go into the cabin, you can hold your hat so as
to read it, without their perceiving you."

"Well, so I can; I never should have thought of that," said Jack.

"You hav'n't wit enough," replied the midshipman.

"Well, I see no wit in the compass," replied Jack.

"Nevertheless, it's full of point," replied the midshipman; "now be
quick."

Our hero's eyes serve