duty to come up directly."

"Without trousers, sir!" replied the boy.

"Yes, sir, without trousers; if the captain required me, I should come
without my shirt. Duty before decency." So saying, the boatswain lays
hold of the boy.

"Surely, Mr Biggs," said Jack, "you are not going to punish that boy
for not coming up without his trousers!"

"Yes, Mr Easy, I am--I must teach him a lesson. We are bound, now that
newfangled ideas are brought into the ship, to uphold the dignity of the
service; and the orders of an officer are not to be delayed ten minutes
and twenty seconds because a boy has no trousers on." Whereupon the
boatswain administered several smart cuts with his rattan upon the boy,
proving that it was quite as well that he had put on his trousers before
he came on deck. "There," said Mr Biggs, "is a lesson for you, you
scamp--and, Mr Easy, it is a lesson for you also," continued the
boatswain, walking away with a most consequential air.

"Murder Irish!" said Mesty--"how him cut caper. De oder day he hawl out
de weather ear-ring, and touch him hat to a midshipman. Sure enough,
make um cat laugh."

The next day, the _Harpy_ was at anchor in Gibraltar Bay; the captain
went on shore, directing the gig to be sent for him before nine o'clock;
after which hour the sally-port is only opened by special permission.
There happened to be a ball given by the officers of the garrison on
that evening, and a polite invitation was sent to the officers of H.M.
sloop _Harpy_. As those who accepted the invitation would be detained
late, it was not possible for them to come off that night. And as their
services were required for the next day, Captain Wilson allowed them to
remain on shore until seven o'clock the next morning, at which hour, as
there was a large party, there would be two boats sent for them.

Mr Asper obtained leave, and asked permission to take our hero with
him; to which Mr Sawbridge consented. Many other officers obtained
leave, and, among others, the boatswain, who, aware that his services
would be in request as soon as the equipment commenced, asked permission
for this evening. And Mr Sawbridge, feeling that he could be better
spared at this than at any other time, consented. Asper and Jack went
to an inn, dined, bespoke beds, and then dressed themselves for the
ball, which was very brilliant, and, from the company of the officers,
very pleasant. Captain Wilson looked on at the commencement, an