delightful company; again
she slept with him in his hammock, and then, after a short stay, she was
relieved by another.

We do not intend to accuse the wind of inconstancy, as that was not her
fault; nor of treachery, for she loved dearly; nor of violence, for she
was all softness and mildness; but we do say, that "S.W. and by W. 3/4
W." was the occasion of Jack being very often in a scrape, for our hero
kept his word; he forgot all other wind, and, with him, there was not
other except his dear "S.W. and by W. 3/4 W." It must be admitted of
Jack, that, at all events, he showed great perseverance, for he stuck to
his point.

Our hero would argue with his messmates, for it is not those who are
most capable of arguing who are most fond of it; and, like all arguers
not very brilliant, he would flounder and diverge away right and left,
just as the flaws of ideas came into his head.

"What nonsense it is your talking that way," would his opponent say,
"Why don't you come to the point?"

"And so I do," cried Jack.

"Well then, what is your point?"

"S.W. and by W. 3/4 W.," replied our hero.

Who could reply to this? But in every instance, and through every
difficulty, our hero kept his promise, until his uncle Sir Theophilus
was very undecided, whether he should send him home to be locked up in a
Lunatic Asylum, or bring him on in the service to the rank of
post-captain. Upon mature consideration, however, as a man in Bedlam is
a very useless member of society, and a tee-total non-productive,
whereas a captain in the navy is a responsible agent, the Admiral came
to the conclusion, that Littlebrain must follow up his destiny.

At last, Jack was set down as the greatest fool in the ship, and was
pointed out as such. The ladies observed, that such might possibly be
the case, but at all events he was the handsomest young man in the
Mediterranean fleet. We believe that both parties were correct in their
assertions.

Time flies--even a midshipman's time, which does not fly quite so fast
as his money--and the time came for Mr Littlebrain's examination. Sir
Theophilus, who now commanded the whole fleet, was almost in despair.
How was it possible that a man could navigate a ship, with only one
quarter point of the compass in his head?

Sir Theophilus scratched his wig; and the disposition of the
Mediterranean fleet, so important to the country, was altered according
to the dispositions of the captains who commanded the shi