ar, as he
contemplated the group.

One of the pensioners was speaking, and continued:--"May be, or may not
be, Mr Forster, that's _dubersome_; but if so be as how he is alive,
why you'll see him soon, that's sartain--take my word for it. A good
son, as you say he was, as soon as he can get over the side of the ship,
always bears up for his parent's house. With the help of your
barnacles, I worked my way clean through the whole yarn, and I seed the
report of killed and wounded; and I'll take my affidavy that there
warn't an officer in the fleet as lost the number of his mess in that
action, and a most clipping affair it was; only think of mounseer
turning tail to marchant vessels! Damn my old buttons! what will our
jolly fellows do next?"

"Next, Bill! why there be nothing to do, 'less they shave off the beard
of the grand Turk to make a swab for the cabin of the king's yacht, and
sarve out his seven hundred wives amongst the fleet. I say, I wonder
how he keeps so many of them craft in good order?"

"I knows," replied the other, "for I axed the very question when I was
up the Dardanelles. There be a big black fellow, a _unique_ they calls
him, with a large sword and a bag of sawdust, as always stands sentry at
the door, and if so be a woman kirks up a bobbery, why plump her head
goes into the bag."

"Well, that's one way to make a good woman on her; but as I was saying,
Mr Forster, you mustn't be down in the mouth; a seaman as knows his
duty, never cares for leave till all the work be done. I'd bet a yard
of pigtail that Mr Newton--"

"Is here, my good fellow!" interrupted Newton. "My dear father!"

Nicholas sprang off his seat and embraced his son.

"My dear, dear boy! why did you not come to me before? I was afraid
that you had been killed. Well, I'm glad to see you, Newton. How did
you like the West Indies?"

"The East Hinges, you mean, Mr Forster.--Newton," continued the old
pensioner, wiping both sides of his hand upon his blue breeches, and
then extending it--"Tip us your daddle, my lad; I like to touch the
flipper of one who has helped to shame the enemy, and it will be no
disgrace for you to grapple with an old seaman, who did his duty as long
as he had a pin to stand upon."

"With pleasure, my friend," replied Newton, taking the old man's hand,
while the other veteran seized the one unoccupied, and, surveying Newton
from top to toe, observed, "If your ship be manned with all such lads as
yo