door.

"Another commission," said Jerry: "a tax upon light. Billy Pitt has the
best right to it."

A second glass of grog was poured out, and the bribe disappeared down
Mr Byfield's gullet.

"Now we'll put the light out," said one of the oldsters, covering the
candlestick with a hat.

"If you will put your candle into my lantern," observed the obsequious
master-at-arms, "I can then report the lights out. Of course you will
allow it to remain there?"

The suggestion was adopted; and the light was reported _out_ to the
first-lieutenant, at the very moment that it was taken _out_ of the
lantern again, and replaced in the candlestick. The duplicate supply
began to have its effect upon our incipient heroes, who commenced
talking _of their friends_. Bruce, a fine manly, honourable Scotchman,
had the peculiarity of always allying himself, when half drunk, to the
royal house who formerly sat upon the throne of England; but, when quite
intoxicated, he was so treasonable as to declare himself the lawful King
of Great Britain. Glass after glass increased his propinquity to the
throne, till at last he seated himself on it, and the uproar of the
whole party rose to that height, that the first-lieutenant sent out,
desiring the midshipmen immediately to retire to their hammocks.

"Send me to bed! `Proud man, dressed in a little brief authority.' If
the Lord's anointed had been respected, he, with millions, would be now
bending the knee to me. Well, if I can't be King of all England, at
least I'll be king in this berth. Tell me," cried Bruce, seizing the
unfortunate Prose by the collar, "am I not king?"

"Why--according--to--the--best--of--my--belief," said Prose, "I--
should--rather--be--inclined--to--think--that--you are--not--the--king."

"Am not, base slave!" cried Bruce, throwing him on the deck, and putting
his foot on his chest.

"No--if--I die for it--I don't care--but if you are--not king--I must
own--that--you--are one of--my thirty tyrants," drawled out Prose, half
suffocated with the pressure.

"I--do--declare," cried Jerry, imitating Prose's drawl, "that--he--has--
squeezed--a pun--out--of--you."

"Am not I king?" resumed Bruce, seizing Jerry, who had advanced within
reach, to laugh at Prose.

"I feel that you ought to be," replied Jerry: "and I don't doubt your
lineal descent: for you have all the dispositions of the race from which
you claim descent. A boon, your gracious majesty," continued Jerr