What, sir! do you think that I will play the fool, because you are disposed to play the bravo? Keep your courage for the enemies of your country. Perhaps, when it comes to the trial, you may find that you have not any to spare."

"Insolent worm! You compel me to kick you."

"Stand back. You dare not, Captain Oliphant. What, surrounded by your own crew, and under the very guns of your own ship, assault an unarmed, elderly gentleman, like myself! Do it, sir; and who would be the coward then?"

At this, the murmuring of the seamen grew into a perfect clamour; and, almost with tears in their eyes, they begged leave to duck him of the cankerous tongue.

The noise of this renewed riot reached the spot to which Rosa and Peter had retired. They were, however, too far away to distinguish the words. Peter Drivel had been painfully silent too long; so, stepping forward, and taking off his hat to the young lady, he humbly begged leave to make a remark. The permission was graciously given.

"Why then, ma'am, by the row they are making down there, would it not be natural to suppose that the captain, crew, and ship had just arrived from the Straits of Babelmandel?"

"I see, by the freedom of your remarks upon your master, you do not know what straits are. What can be the meaning of this long wordy contention?"

As this reproof was given in a good-natured tone, Peter felt it to be no reproof at all; but, giving vent to a fresh impertinence, continued, "As, ma'am, I am never straitened for an answer

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Stop, sir; let me undeceive you. I have no time to listen to your wit; I am too much alarmed at what is going forward about the boat. Let us approach."

They did so, and found that the gallant captain had calmed himself down to a state that enabled him to make a set speech.

"I was wrong to feel angry," said he, "at an object so far beneath the notice of an honest man. In justice to myself, I will, however, answer you in the three capacities that you have assumed-as a magistrate, a gentleman,

and a guardian. I have not, like yourself, the gift of the gab-the powers of language, I should have said-to spin a yarn, that is, to plead a case like a lawyer. As a magistrate, I tell you that, by virtue of my commission, I am a magistrate; and, therefore, will not concur in your arbitrary proceedings. They would, even if they were just in themselves, be so great an impediment to his majesty's service, that you could not persist in them. It appears that it was yourself who was guilty of the first assault. You may indict them, and me, and all my ship's company, if you like, at the quarter-sessions, and thus cover yourself with eternal ridicule. So, vast heaving, and clap down the paul there." We omit the hems of the attentive Peter. "As a gentleman, I shall only say, that If you insult, you should be prepared to take the consequences. But, as a guardian, stand forth, man of the false heart and designing villany, and know yourself. Would an upright guardian work upon the imagination of his ward, whilst yet a child; talk to her of a passion she was all too young to comprehend; and inveigle her into an engagement, before she could know properly the meaning of the words in which it was embodied. Would an upright guardian send his ward away to the solitude and isolation of foreign convents; places where there was no moral instruction, and where the religious dogmas were alien to her family and her country? Would an upright guardian surround his ward with the poisonous trash of French romances? Would

But, by this time, the gentleman, for whose benefit all this eloquence was produced, had ungratefully taken himself too far off to hear it. He saw, at once, that the game he had, for so many years been playing, was lost to him in a few days. He repaired to his lonely inn, resumed his travelling dress, and went and burrowed himself in some obscure locality in London, in order to implore-to plot; and, if both proved unsuccessful, to revenge.

Every thing was now sunshine. The barge's crew cheered, as Mr. Rubasore made sail. Peter hemmed and punned by turns; and the captain and Miss Belmont walked up to Jaspar Hall, to a dinner that Mrs. Dredgely was compelled to provide for them, and over which she was compelled also to preside, and play propriety, The

boat's crew, having money given them, went up to the alehouse from which Mr. Rubasore had just departed, to take a hearty meal of beans and bacon; and whiskey grog, which latter they were to enjoy upon honour, that is, really enjoy and not abuse. Peter was one of this jovial party?

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CHAPTER III.

"A very good song, and very well sung,
Jolly companions every one.

We are the boys,

For mirth and noise,

We are the boys, that tipple the can,
Jolly companions every one.'

OLD SEA-CHAUNT

How they got on with the setting up of the lower rigging, on board the saucy Belladonna, it is not necessary to state; and, if stated, would not be found very satisfactory. On shore, every thing went on as happily as could be desired.

For once, we will dispense with etiquette, and attend to the barge's crew, rather than the Captain's party. They are but humble heroes, certainly, but honest and most worthy ones. May England never see the noble race extinct!

Hearing that the seamen were assembled at the Plough, in the little fishing hamlet, all the idle fellows about the neighbourhood found it convenient to drop in; not, certainly, to drink, for it was found that but few of them had any money. Now your really idle dog is generally a hard-working fellow at every thing that is utterly profitless, and a merry companion to boot. The Diomede dinner was scarcely eaten, than the one room of the alehouse was completely filled. At the top of a long open table,

sat Peter: at the bottom, the coxswain. There was plenty of whiskey on the table, and no scarcity of pipes and tobacco; and every thing promised well for a carouse.

The benches round the table were just sufficient to accommodate the seamen; but, when the village schoolmas

ter dropped in, Peter edged a little, and made room for him. Then came the blacksmith, and he found the like favour near the coxswain. The barber wriggled in his little and snake-like body without ceremony. Then a louting, lounging fellow-Nelly's sweetheart as he afterwards proved to be, and a most desperate poacher-got a place in the centre. An old soldier, with a license to beg, was next welcomed, with a cheer. In fact, not only, as Macbeth exclaimed, was "the table full," but the room also.

Before the mirth had yet settled into its full summer shower, Peter Drivel and the village pedagogue got into some very learned conversation. This schoolmaster, who was named Rickets, had not much learning, but more than sufficient for the sphere in which he found himself placed. He was always ready to pour this excess upon any one who would be kind enough to receive itthe very line of conduct that Peter was pleased to follow with his puns. "For," as he would feelingly observe, "of what use is it popping off your bullets of the brain without a target?"

Already had he discharged several of them, point blank, into the schoolmaster. He swallowed them-for he was drinking Peter's grog; but they went down like bolusses, a little too large, and a great deal too bitter. At length, one fairly stuck by the way: he made a horribly wry face at it, and, when Peter asked him as usual, “Do you take?" he begged submissively to be excused.

"It may be good, master, but there's nothing certain in it. Get into duodecimals, I say; there you'll discover wonders, master Peter-what's your other name?"

"Drivel."

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"I have no objection. No offence, I hope, Master Drivel. I have seen the world; and I don't think that there's any man in the county that can say that he has worn out more rods. Duodecimals for me."

"So you don't like wit?"

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'Yes, when I can get it. No offence; but really, Master Peter, as I have seen the world and worn out rods, I may be allowed to know something about wit and duodecimals. Now, Master Peter, I think you want several essentials to make you a wit."

"You alarm me, my friend, learned in the duodecimals, you quite frighten me. What can they possibly be?"