"
"Hurrah!" shouted the party, most of them now very tipsy. So the rum
was produced forthwith, and as I lighted a pipe and filled a glass of
swizzle, I struck in, "Messmates, I hope you have all shipped?"
"No, we han't," said some of them.
"Nor shall we be in any hurry, boy," said others.
"Do as you please, but I shall, as soon as I can, I know; and I
recommend all of you making yourselves scarce to-night, and keeping a
bright look-out."
"Why, boy, why?"
"Simply because I have just escaped a press-gang, by bracing sharp up
at the corner of the street, and shoving into this dark alley here."
This called forth another volley of oaths and unsavoury exclamations,
and all was bustle and confusion, and packing up of bundles, and
settling of reckonings.
"Where," said one of the seamen,--"where do you go to, my lad?"
"Why, if I can't get shipped to-night, I shall trundle down to Cove
immediately, so as to cross at Passage before daylight, and take my
chance of shipping with some of the outward-bound that are to sail, if
the wind holds, the day after to-morrow. There is to be no pressing
when the blue Peter flies at the fore--and that was hoisted this
afternoon, I know, and the foretopsail will be loose to-morrow.
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