practise immorality in secret, and not degrade themselves and insult
their captain by unblushingly avowing (I may say glorying in) their
iniquity, by exposing it in broad day, and in the most frequented street
of the town."

"Sir!" replied I, with astonishment, "O dear! what have I done?"

The captain fixed his keen eyes upon me, so that they appeared to pierce
me through, and nail me to the wall. "Do you pretend to say, sir, that
you were not aware of the character of the person with whom you were
walking just now?"

"No, sir," replied I, "except that she was very kind and good-natured;"
and then I told him how she had addressed me, and what subsequently took
place.

"And is it possible, Mr Simple, that you are so great a fool?" I
replied that I certainly was considered the greatest fool of our family.
"I should think you were," replied he, dryly. He then explained to me
who the person was with whom I was in company, and how any association
with her would inevitably lead to my ruin and disgrace.

I cried very much, for I was shocked at the narrow escape which I had
had, and mortified at having fallen in his good opinion. He asked me
how I had employed my time since I had been at Portsmouth, and I made an
acknowledgment of having been made tipsy, related all that the
midshipmen had told me, and how I had that morning fought a duel.

When I had finished, he said, "Mr Simple, I can no longer trust you on
shore until you are more experienced in the world. I shall desire my
coxswain not to lose sight of you until you are safe on board of the
frigate."

Altogether I did not feel sorry when it was over. I saw that the
captain believed what I had stated, and that he was disposed to be kind
to me, although he thought me very silly. The coxswain, in obedience to
his orders, accompanied me to the Blue Post. I packed up my clothes,
paid my bill, and the porter wheeled my chest down to the Sally Port,
where the boat was waiting.

"Come, heave a-head, my lads, be smart. The captain says we are to take
the young gentleman on board directly. His liberty's stopped for
getting drunk and running after the Dolly Mops!"

"I should thank you to be more respectful in your remarks, Mr
Coxswain," said I with displeasure.

"Mister Coxswain! thanky, sir, for giving me a handle to my name,"
replied he. "Come, be smart with your oars, my lads!"

"La, Bill Freeman," said a young woman on the beach, "what a nice young
gentl