on't think you ever finished them."

"No, nor did I; still, I thought of completing them now. You must
remember that the young lady there gave me no encouragement, but at
present I know that they will be received, and my poetic genius will be
stimulated. Oh, Tom! it is very delightful to be in love, but it sadly
unhinges a man, you know that from experience."

"Bosh! If I ever was in love, it is so long ago and I was such a boy at
the time, that I have forgotten all about it," answered Tom, not quits
liking Billy's remark. "But what about the verses?" he asked.

"I have them in my pocket, as far as I have gone. I would read them by
the binnacle lamp but that the helmsman would overhear me. I think,
however, I can recollect them. They begin--

"`Angelica, my own beloved,
An earthly angel thou!'

"I forget the third line, but the fourth is--

"`Before thy shrine I bow.

"`The jasmine, lily, and the rose,
In thee are all entwined.'

"Those third lines bother me, but the fourth I thought of terminating
with `combined.' Perhaps you can help me, Tom?"

"Couldn't you put in something about a sunflower or a poplar," suggested
Tom. "The lady in question rather brings to my mind some of the taller
productions of nature. You must have remarked she's a head and a half
taller than you are, Billy, and Mrs Bubsby even more than that above
the major."

"I might begin, `Tall art thou as the stately pine,' but I think I
should be bothered if I had to introduce the sunflower," observed Billy.

"Give them to me," said Tom, "and I will look them over; perhaps I may
get the paymaster to help me--he's a capital hand with his pen."

Billy, pulling a paper out of his pocket, gave it to Tom, and after
pacing the deck for a few minutes longer went below to turn in, though,
he averred, not to sleep. It should have been mentioned that Billy had
been promoted before leaving England, and was now junior lieutenant of
the ship.

Tom, however, had no opportunity of looking at the verses. The
following night the ship was five or six miles from Waterloo Bay, but
Jack deemed it prudent to wait until next morning to stand in.

Billy was very miserable at the thoughts of having so soon to part from
Angelica.

"I say, Rogers, do you think the captain would let me go on shore just
for a day or two? The ship is sure to remain here for some time."

"I'm not so certain of that, and you cannot be spared," answered Tom.
"