“Perhaps, sir, you will have the kindness to send me back by the first homeward-bound vessel?”

“No, that I cannot do; you are on the ship’s books, and the case must be referred to the Admiralty on our return:  that it will be my duty to attend to, upon your application; but I hope before that you will have entered into his Majesty’s service.”

“And in the meantime my poor father may starve,” said Newton, with a sigh, not addressing those around him, but giving utterance to his thoughts.

The captain turned away, and paced the quarter-deck with the first lieutenant.  At last he was overheard to say, “It’s a very hard case, certainly.  Forster, can you navigate?” continued the captain, addressing Newton.

“Yes, sir, I can work up a dead reckoning, and take the sun’s altitude.”

“Very well, that will do.  Mr Pittson, you may dismiss them.  Are they put into messes?”

“All, sir.”

“It’s twelve o’clock, sir,” said the master, touching his hat, with his quadrant in his hand.

“Make it so, and pipe to dinner.”

Newton was stationed in the foretop.  In a few days the awkwardness arising from the novelty of the scene, and from the superior dimensions of every variety of equipment on board of the frigate, compared to the small craft to which he had been accustomed, passed away.  The order which was exacted to preserve discipline, the precision with which the time was regulated, the knowledge of the duty allotted to him, soon made him feel that no more was exacted than what could easily be performed, and that there was no hardship in serving on board of a man-of-war; the only hardship was, the manner in which he had been brought there.  Although he often sighed as he thought of his father and mother, he did his duty cheerfully, and was soon distinguished as a most promising young sailor.

Captain Northfleet was a humane and good officer, and his first lieutenant followed in his steps, and equally deserved the character.  Before the ship’s company had been six weeks together, they were in a tolerable state of discipline; and proved such to be the case, by acknowledging that they were happy.  This, added to the constant excitement of chasing and capturing the vessels of the enemy, with the anticipation of prize-money, soon made most of those who had been impressed forget what had occurred, or cease to lament it as a hardship.  The continual exercise of the guns was invariably followed up by a general wish that they might fall in with an enemy of equal force, to ascertain whether such constant drilling had been thrown away upon them.  The Terpsichore received supplies of provisions and water from other ships, and for nine months continued a successful cruise.