fine-looking man, and his pigtail had grown to a surprising length and
size. His ship, as I afterward found out, had not been paid off, but he
had obtained a fortnight's leave of absence, while she was refitting. We
were all very sociable together, without there being the least idea, on
the part of my sister and myself, with whom we were in company, when in
rolled old Ben the Whaler.

"Sarvice to you," said Ben, nodding to my father. "Tommy, get me a pipe
of 'baccy."

"Here's pipe and 'baccy too, messmate," replied my father. "Sit down,
and make yourself comfortable, old chap."

"Won't refuse a good offer," replied Ben, "been too long in the sarvice
for that--and you've seen sarvice, too, I think," continued Ben, looking
my father full in the face.

"Chop from a French officer," replied my father; after a pause, he
added, "but he didn't live to tell of it."

Ben took one of the offered pipes, filled, and was soon very busy
puffing away, alongside of my father.




CHAPTER FIVE

My Father and Mother meet after an absence of Six Years--She
dis-covers that he is no longer a Coxswain but a Boatswain's Mate.