The next morning, Mr Somerville joined us at breakfast.  This was another trial of feeling for poor Emily, who threw herself into her father’s arms, and sobbed aloud.  Mr Somerville shook me most cordially by the hand with both of his, and eagerly demanded the history of my extraordinary adventures, of which I gave him a small abridgment.  I had taken the opportunity of an hour’s tete a tete with Emily, which Clara had considerately given us before breakfast, to speak of our anticipated union; and finding there were no other obstacles than those which are usually raised by “maiden pride and bashful coyness,” so natural, so becoming, and so lovely in the sex, I determined to speak to the grey-beards on the subject.

To this Emily at last consented, on my reminding her of my late narrow escapes.  As soon, therefore, as the ladies had retired from the dinner table, I asked my father to fill a bumper to their health; and, having swallowed mine in all the fervency of the most unbounded love, I popped the question to them both.  Mr Somerville and my father looked at each other, when the former said—­

“You seem to be in a great hurry, Frank.”

“Not greater, Sir,” said I, “than the object deserves.”

He bowed, and my father began—­

“I cannot say,” observed the good old gentleman, “that I much approve of matrimony before you are a commander.  At least, till then, you are not your own master.”

“Oh, if I am to wait for that, Sir,” said I, “I may wait long enough; no man is ever his own master in our service, or in England.  The captain is commanded by the admiral, the admiral by the Admiralty, the Admiralty by the Privy Council, the Privy Council by the Parliament, the Parliament by the people, and the people by printers and their devils.”

“I admire your logical chain of causes and effects,” said my father; “but we must, after all, go to the lace manufactory at Charing-cross, to see if we cannot have your shoulders fitted with a pair of epaulettes.  When we can see you command your own sloop of war, I shall be most happy, as I am sure my good friend Somerville will be also, to see you command his daughter, the finest and the best girl in the county of ——­”

No arguments could induce the two old gentlemen to bate one inch from these sine qua non.  It was agreed that application should be made to the Admiralty forthwith for my promotion; and when that desirable step was obtained, that then Emily should have the disposal of me for the honeymoon.

All this was a very pretty story for them on the score of prudence, but it did not suit the views of an ardent lover of one-and-twenty; for though I knew my father’s influence was very great at the Admiralty, I also knew that an excellent regulation had recently been promulgated, which prevented any lieutenant being promoted to the rank of commander until he had served two years at sea from the date of his first commission; nor could any commander, in like manner, be promoted before he had served one year in that capacity.  All this was no doubt very good for the service, but I had not yet attained sufficient amor patriae to prefer the public to myself; and I fairly wished the regulation, and the makers of it, in the cavern at New Providence, just about the time of high water.