he took ship and made several voyages to the West Indies; and here it was that he began to think that the discipline of his Majesty's navy

was rather more severe than that of the merchant service; although he was frequently heard to say, that the good man did all the work in the latter, whilst in the former every one placed his shoulder to the wheel.

"If ever I get back again," said Jack, every time he went out, "I'll get on board a man-ofwar, although it is peace, and the pay not so good; for in these puddling cargo ships everything's at top, and nothing at hand. It takes more time to find a spare topsail than it does to find it, fit it, and bend it, on board a man-ofwar. And then every man has some time to himself; whereas I'm blessed if a squall of wind comes, not strong enough to blow a curl of hair over one's cheek, it's hands aloft, and there they may stay until midnight. I tell you, shipmates, we want discipline here. I'm all for subordination, all for regularity, and none of your Jack's as good as his master,' as it is here. When we get up the river again, I'll go to my mother's at

Deptford, and there I'll stick until I can get a

ship."

This time Jack was true to his word. It was the beginning of the year 1787 when he left the merchant service, and was welcomed by his old mother, who was now going fast towards the end of all flesh.

"Don't leave me again, Jack," she said; "I can't last more than a year, and I have put by enough for you to spend during my life; and when I am gone, you must shift for yourself as you have done before, and found enough to give to your mother besides."

"Well, mother, as I know the time must come," said Jack, "when we must all fit foreign and get our sailing orders from aloft-and as I think you are riding at a short stay peak, with no cable on board to veer if you dragged your anchor-I will stay and read to you, and take care of you; for you never said an angry word to me, but always used me well and kindly, from the day you dipped me into the grog-bowl and christened me, till poor father was drowned and you sent out of the ship. So I'll do as I say

I'll stand by you until your orders arrive-and comfort you, if I can, as long as you last."

"That's a good lad," replied the old woman; "and the Lord bless you for it. You have always been a good lad, and Sampson says you always obeyed your officers, and was a favourite with them; and that is much better than doing what you ought not to do, and getting flogged like a boy. Lord, Jack! I always think that's such a disgrace to a man, that I wonder they don't jump overboard rather than catch it."

"It's all custom, mother,—there's some men who don't mind it a bit-but others who have died rather than receive a lash."

"Thank God, Jack, you never have been so disgraced-and I shall at any rate die before that can happen. But you know your duty well, and you will one day rise to rule others; and my blessing go with you wherever you are."

The old woman lingered on up May hill, and went down to the November flat, when she died. Jack did his duty faithfully by her, and at her death made known the event to the mother of the midshipman upon whose bounty

Mrs. Adams had so long subsisted. In the letter which constituted the answer to Jack's announcement he found a twenty pound note; and two days afterwards the midshipman, now a lieutenant, came down to Deptford, shook hands with the man who had saved his life, ordered him a regular fit-out of all things he wanted, and offered to serve him in any way."

"Why, your honour," said Adams, as he rubbed his sleeve across his eyes, "I hardly know what I want. I'm all adrift in the world now, and have no compass to steer by. The old lady had saved some money, and I have more of that than I know what to do with. As to marriage, that won't do for me. I love the women in course-every sailor does that-but I must get some more active life than steering through the streets, and navigating into public-houses."

"Well, Adams, I'll cast about for you, and see what I can do. A seaman like you should be ever employed; for you are a credit to the navy. Have you no ships fitting out in the river?"

"None, Sir, but an old merchantman which the merchants and planters of the West Indies

have asked his Majesty to buy, in order to go to the South Sea, to bring back some bread which grows on trees, without any bakers to knead it."

"Well, Adams," said the lieutenant, smiling,

"what say you to that?-you will see more of the world. It's a dead peace, and likely to remain so; and of all things, I should think, for an active mind like yours a voyage of discovery would be the best thing. When you come back, if I'm afloat I'll manage to look out for you, and as long as I hold the life you saved for me, so long will I be a true friend to you."

"God bless you, sir," said Adams. "I have been looking at that old hulk they are making into a man-of-war, and longed to go in her; but I thought you would not approve of it. I dare say, sir, if you were to step on board, they would take me; for they have been looking out for volunteers, and I hope my character would be a passport."

"Come along with me," said the lieutenant; and a quarter of an hour from that time Adams was entered as a seaman on board the Bounty, and was on shore again packing up his traps, to