he East Indies, they would not exchange into a brig,
and I returned disappointed. The next morning, the admiral sent for
O'Brien, and told him confidentially, for he was the same admiral who
had received O'Brien when he had escaped from prison with me, and was
very kind to him, that there was some _hitch_ about his having the
_Semiramis_, and that orders had come down to pay her off, all standing,
and examine her bottom, if Captain O'Brien had not joined her. "Do you
understand what this means?" said the admiral, who was anxious to know
the reason.

O'Brien answered frankly, that Lord Privilege, by whose interest he had
obtained his former command, was displeased with him; and that, as he
saw him go up to the First Lord, he had no doubt but that his lordship
had said something to his disadvantage, as he was a very vindictive man.

"Well," said the admiral, "it's lucky that you have taken the command,
as they cannot well displace you, or send her into dock without a
survey, and upon your representation."

And so it proved; the First Lord, when he found that O'Brien had joined,
took no further steps, but allowed the frigate to proceed to her
intended destination. But all chance of my sailing with him was done
away, and now, for the first time, I had to part with O'Brien. I
remained with him the whole time that I could be spared from my duties.
O'Brien was very much annoyed, but there was no help. "Never mind,
Peter," said he, "I've been thinking that perhaps it's all for the best.
You will see more of the world, and be no longer in leading-strings. You
are now a fine man grown up, big enough and ugly enough, as they say, to
take care of yourself. We shall meet again; and if we don't, why then,
God bless you, my boy, and don't forget O'Brien."

Three days afterwards, O'Brien's orders came down. I accompanied him on
board; and it was not until the ship was under weigh, and running
towards the Needles with a fair wind, that I shook hands with him, and
shoved off. Parting with O'Brien was a heavy blow to me; but I little
knew how much I was to suffer before I saw him again.

Chapter LIII

I am pleased with my new captain--Obtain leave to go home--Find my
father afflicted with a very strange disease, and prove myself a very
good doctor, although the disorder always breaks out in a fresh place.

The day after O'Brien had sailed for the East Indies, the dockyard men
came on board to survey the brig, and she was fo