was added to
the list, and the next day was appointed lieutenant.

Our hero did his duty as lieutenant of the forecastle; and as all the
duty of that officer is, when hailed from the quarter-deck, to answer
"_Ay, ay, sir_," he got on without making many mistakes. And now he was
very happy; no one dared to call him a fool except his uncle; he had his
own cabin, and many was the time that his dear little "S.W. and by W.
3/4 W." would come in by the scuttle, and nestle by his side.

"You wo'n't see so much of me soon, dearest," said she, one morning,
gravely.

"Why not, my soft one?" replied Jack.

"Don't you recollect that the winter months are coming on?"

"So they are," replied Jack. "Well, I shall long for you back."

And Jack did long, and long very much, for he loved his dear wind, and
the fine weather which accompanied her. Winter came on, and heavy gales
and rain, and thunder and lightning; nothing but double-reefed topsails,
and wearing in succession; and our hero walked the forecastle, and
thought of his favourite wind. The N.E. winds came down furiously, and
the weather was bitter cold. The officers shook the rain and spray off
their garments when their watch was over, and called for grog.

"Steward, a glass of grog," cried one, "and let it be strong."

"The same for me," said Jack; "only I'll mix it myself."

Jack poured out the rum till the tumbler was half full.

"Why, Littlebrain," said his messmate, "that is a dose, that's what we
call a regular _Nor-wester_."

"Is it?" replied Jack. "Well then, Nor-westers suit me exactly, and I
shall stick to them like cobbler's wax."

And during the whole of the winter months our hero showed a great
predilection for Nor-westers.

It was in the latter end of February that there was a heavy gale; it had
blown furiously from the northward for three days, and then it paused
and panted as if out of breath--no wonder; and then the wind shifted,
and shifted again, with squalls and heavy rain, until it blew from every
quarter of the compass.

Our hero's watch was over, and he came down and called for a
"Nor-wester" as usual.

"How is the wind, now?" asked the first lieutenant to the master, who
came down dripping wet.

"S.S.W., but drawing now fast to the Westward," said old Spunyarn.

And so it was; and it veered round until "S.W. and by W. 3/4 W.," with
an angry gust, came down the sky-light, and blowing strongly into our
hero's ear, cried--

"Oh! you f