talked of liberty and equality at New York, he found that what they
preached for themselves, they did not practise towards others, and that,
in the midst of liberty and equality, he and thousands more were
enslaved and degraded beings.

Escaping to England, he had regained his liberty, but not his equality;
his colour had prevented the latter, and in that feeling all the world
appeared to conspire together against him, until, to his astonishment,
he heard those sentiments boldly expressed from the lips of Jack, and
that in a service where it was almost tantamount to mutiny. Mesty,
whose character is not yet developed, immediately took a fondness for
our hero, and in a hundred ways showed his attachment. Jack also liked
Mesty, and was fond of talking with him, and every evening, since the
combat with Vigors, they had generally met in the forecastle to discuss
the principles of equality and the rights of man.

The boatswain, whose name was Biggs, was a slight, dapper, active little
man, who, as captain of the foretop, had shown an uncommon degree of
courage in a hurricane, so much so, as to recommend him to the admiral
for promotion. It was given to him; and after the ship to which he had
been appointed was paid off, he had been ordered to join H.M. sloop
_Harpy_. Jack's conversation with Mesty was interrupted by the voice of
the boatswain, who was haranguing his boy. "It's now ten minutes, sir,
by my repeater," said the boatswain, "that I have sent for you;" and Mr
Biggs pulled out a huge silver watch, almost as big as a Norfolk turnip.
A Jew had sold him the watch; the boatswain had heard of repeaters, and
wished to have one. Moses had only shown him watches with the hour and
minute hands; he now produced one with a second hand, telling him it was
a repeater.

"What makes it a repeater?" inquired the boatswain.

"Common watches," said the cunning Jew, "only tell the minutes and the
hours; but all repeaters tell the seconds."

The boatswain was satisfied--bought the watch, and, although many had
told him it was no repeater, he insisted that it _was_, and would call
it so.

"I swear," continued the boatswain, "it's ten minutes and twenty seconds
by my repeater."

"If you please, sir," said the boy, "I was changing my trousers when you
sent for me, and then I had to stow away my bag again."

"Silence, sir; I'd have you to know that when you are sent for by your
officer, trousers or no trousers, it is your