My landlord only shook his head and desired me to provide myself with another lodging; which I promptly did, and for a time I took service under a drunken surgeon named Crab.  When I deemed myself sufficiently master of my business, I decided to go to London.  “You may easily get on board of a King’s ship in quality of a surgeon’s mate,” said Crab; “where you will certainly see a great deal of practise, and stand a good chance of getting prize money.”

In a few weeks I set out for London, my whole fortune consisting of one suit of clothes, half a dozen ruffled shirts, as many plain, four pair of stockings, a case of pocket instruments, Wiseman’s Surgery, and ten guineas in cash, for which Crab took my bond.

At Newcastle-upon-Tyne I found an old schoolfellow, named Hugh Strap, employed in a barber’s shop, and we at once embraced cordially.  Strap, having saved sufficient money for the occasion, at once decided to go to London with me, and we departed next morning by daybreak.

As we travelled mostly in wagons, it was a tedious journey, but at length we entered the great city.  Nothing but disappointment awaited us.  In vain I applied at the Navy Office.  I had satisfied the board at Surgeon’s Hall, it seemed nothing but money could help me at the Navy Office, and by that time I had not wherewithal to purchase a dinner.

Strap obtained employment and generously shared his purse with me, otherwise I should have starved.

Instead of getting an appointment as surgeon’s mate, I was seized, when I was crossing Tower Wharf, by a press-gang; and on my resistance, was disarmed, taken prisoner, and carried on board; where, after being treated like a malefactor, I was thrust down into the hold among a parcel of miserable wretches, the sight of whom well nigh distracted me.

After we had sailed, I was released from irons by the good offices of a Surgeon’s Mate whom I had met on land, and subsequently I was appointed to assist the surgeon, and exempted from all other duties.

Our destination was the West Indies, and here I saw active service in the war with Spain.  When the time came to return to England the ship was wrecked off the coast of Sussex.  I got ashore, and in my distress was glad to be hired by an elderly lady as her footman.  I speedily acquired the good opinion of my mistress, and fell in love with her niece Narcissa, cursing the servile station that placed me so far beneath the regard of this amiable and adorable being.  I soon learnt that the brother of my idol was a savage, fox-hunting squire, who had designed the lovely Narcissa for Sir Timothy Thicket, a neighbouring foxhunter.  I cursed in my heart this man for his presumption, looking upon him as my rival.

Eight months I remained in the station of footman, and then an accident put an end to my servitude.

I was passing through a wood when I heard the cries of Narcissa, and rushing to her assistance, rescued her from the brutal familiarities of Sir Timothy.  I struck his weapon out of his hand, and cudgelled him so that he fell to the ground and lay senseless.