I often thought of my father, who had been absent now for nearly four
years, and, as the time advanced, I became more anxious to hear of him.
I seldom met old Ben the Whaler without talking about my father, and
asking Ben what chance he thought there was of his return.

"Why, you see, Jack," said Ben, "in these times it's hard to say whether
a man be alive or not. Every day we hear of some naval action or
another, and therefore every day some must lose the number of their
mess; and then you see, Jack, a man may be supposed to be dead for
years, and after all turn up in some French prison or another; and then
ships change their stations, and ships' companies their ships; and then
ships are sometimes wrecked, with all hands, or take fire, and are blown
up. Many a good seaman loses his life by falling overboard in a
gale--and who knows or cares? Whether your father be alive or be dead,
Jack, it is impossible for me to say; but, howsomever, I hope he be."

This was not a satisfactory, although a cautious reply, and I never
could get Ben to give any other. I began to think that one of the
mischances enumerated in Ben's catalogue might have occurred, and that I
never should see my father again, when one morning, as I was standing at
the landing-place, Ben came up to me and said, "Now, Jack, perhaps we
may hear something of your father. Here's been a famous action fought,
and a matter of a thousand men killed and wounded. I've only just heard
about it. Nelson has licked the French on the coast of Egypt" (Ben here
referred to the battle of the Nile), "and the 'Oudacious,' the ship on
board of which your father was boatswain's mate, was in the action. Now,
you see, the names of the killed will be sent into the office here, that
their relations may receive the pay and prize-money due to them. So now,
Jack, perhaps you'll hear something about your father."