answer the
captain of the _Syren_ deigned to give.

Before the brig's boat shoved off, I went over the side, and sent many a
message to Peter Poplar and the rest of my shipmates. I regretted
leaving the brig, but I was more sorry at the thought of parting from
Peter than for any other reason.

As I looked at the _Dolphin_ with the eye of that affection which a
seaman soon gains for a vessel in which he is tolerably happy, I
observed that the man-of-war's boat was already alongside. In a short
time she shoved off, and pulled back to the corvette. There were
several chests, and five people besides her crew in her. I rubbed my
eyes. Could I believe them? Among the people sat Peter Poplar! He
sprung up the side, and was soon engaged in shaking hands with several
of the _Syren's_ crew.

"What! are you pressed, Peter?" said I to him; and in my heart I could
not be very sorry to have him with me.

"Not exactly that either," he answered. "You see, Jack, I found that
you were pressed, or would be to a certainty, and I did not like to have
one whom I had nursed up almost from a baby on the salt waters, so to
speak, altogether out of my sight, though you are big enough now to take
care of yourself; so, says I to myself, Well, if they take me, I'll go
with a free will--I don't mind. However, when the lieutenant picked out
the men he would like to have, and who have no protection, he passed me
over, thinking that, on account of my age, he could not touch me. But
among the men he chose was poor Bill Jackson, who has a wife and small
family at Halifax, and who only came the voyage from his love for
Captain Stenning, and was going to give up the sea and live on shore
with his wife's relations up the country. I never saw a poor fellow so
cut up and broken-hearted when he saw all his hopes blown to the winds,
and knew that, for many a long year, he might not see his wife or little
ones. He knows well the ups and downs of a sailor's life, and that very
likely he might never see them again. I know that I could not stand his
grief. Captain Gale did all he could to get the lieutenant to let him
off, but nothing would do. The only answer was, `His Majesty wants
seamen, and seamen he must have.'

"`So he shall!' said I, walking up to the officer. `Now, sir, if you
will let that man go, you may have me in his stead; and I'll make bold
to say, that there isn't a man aboard this brig but will acknowledge
that, blow high or b