whether he became a soldier or a sailor. He had longed to see the
world, to share in deeds of adventure, and, above all, to escape
from the dreary drudgery of the clothier's shop. These objects
would be attained as well in the army as in the navy; and, indeed,
now that he thought of it, he preferred the active service which
he would see under Marlborough or Peterborough to the monotony
of a long sea voyage. At any rate, it was clear that remonstrance
or resistance were vain. He as well as others were aware of the
law which had just been passed, giving magistrates the power of
impressing soldiers for the service, and he felt, therefore, that
although his impressment had no doubt been dictated by the private
desire of the mayor to get him out of the way, it was yet strictly
legal, and that it would be useless his making any protest against
it. He resolved, therefore, to make the best of things, and to
endeavor to win the goodwill of his officers by prompt and cheerful
acquiescence in the inevitable.

Presently some sailors brought down a tray with a number of hunks
of black bread, a large pot filled with a sort of broth, and a score
of earthenware mugs. Jack at once dipped one of the mugs into the
pot, and, taking a hunk of bread, sat down to his breakfast. A few
others followed his example, but most of them were too angry or
too dispirited to care about eating; and, indeed, it seemed to them
that their refusal to partake of the meal was a sort of protest
against their captivity.

Half an hour afterward the sailors removed the food; and many of
those who had refused to touch it soon regretted bitterly that they
had not done so, for as the time went on hunger began to make itself
felt. It was evening before the next meal, consisting of black