w　all　this　was　to　endI　would　have　married　the　girl；　and　taken　my　chanceI　would；　by　Heaven！　　for　she　was　a　pretty　girl；　and　a　good　girl；　till　she　and　I　met；　but　you　know　the　old　song；　〃Kirk　would　not　let　us　be。〃　A　gentleman；　in　my　case；　would　have　settled　the　matter　with　the　kirk…treasurer　for　a　small　sum　of　money；　but　the　poor　stibbler；　the　penniless　dominie；　having　married　his　cousin　of　Kittlebasket；　must　next　have　proclaimed　her　frailty　to　the　whole　parish；　by　mounting　the　throne　of　Presbyterian　penance；　and　proving；　as　Othello　says；　〃his　love　a　whore；〃　in　face　of　the　whole　congregation。
  'In　this　extremity　I　dared　not　stay　where　I　was；　and　so　thought　to　go　home　to　my　father。　　But　first　I　got　Jack　Radaway；　a　lad　from　the　same　parish；　and　who　lived　in　the　same　infernal　stair；　to　make　some　inquiries　how　the　old　gentleman　had　taken　the　matter。　　I　soon；　by　way　of　answer；　learned；　to　the　great　increase　of　my　comfortable　reflections；　that　the　good　old　man　made　as　much　clamour　as　if　such　a　thing　as　a　man's　eating　his　wedding　dinner　without　saying　grace　had　never　happened　since　Adam's　time。　　He　did　nothing　for　six　days　but　cry　out；　〃Ichabod；　Ichabod；　the　glory　is　departed　from　my　house！〃　and　on　the　seventh　he　preached　a　sermon；　in　which　he　enlarged　on　this　incident　as　illustrative　of　one　of　the　great　occasions　for　humiliation；　and　causes　of　national　defection。　　I　hope　the　course　he　took　comforted　himself　I　am　sure　it　made　me　ashamed　to　show　my　nose　at　home。　　So　I　went　down　to　Leith；　and；　exchanging　my　hoddin　grey　coat　of　my　mother's　spinning　for　such　a　jacket　as　this；　I　entered　my　name　at　the　rendezvous　as　an　able…bodied　landsman；　and　sailed　with　the　tender　round　to　Plymouth；　where　they　were　fitting　out　a　squadron　for　the　West　Indies。　　There　I　was　put　aboard　the　FEARNOUGHT；　Captain　Daredevilamong　whose　crew　I　soon　learned　to　fear　Satan　（the　terror　of　my　early　youth）　as　little　as　the　toughest　Jack　on　board。　　I　had　some　qualms　at　first；　but　I　took　the　remedy'　（tapping　the　case…bottle）　'which　I　recommend　to　you；　being　as　good　for　sickness　of　the　soul　as　for　sickness　of　the　stomach　What；　you　won't？very　well；　I　must；　thenhere　is　to　ye。'
  'You　would；　I　am　afraid；　find　your　education　of　little　use　in　your　new　condition？'　　said　Fairford。
  'Pardon　me；　sir；'　resumed　the　captain　of　the　JUMPING　JENNY；　'my　handful　of　Latin；　and　small　pinch　of　Greek；　were　as　useless　as　old　junk；　to　be　sure；　but　my　reading；　writing　and　accompting；　stood　me　in　good　stead；　and　brought　me　forward；　I　might　have　been　schoolmasteraye；　and　master；　in　time；　but　that　valiant　liquor；　rum；　made　a　conquest　of　me　rather　too　often；　and　so；　make　what　sail　I　could；　I　always　went　to　leeward。　　We　were　four　years　broiling　in　that　blasted　climate；　and　I　came　back　at　last　with　a　little　prize…money。　　I　always　had　thoughts　of　putting　things　to　rights　in　the　Covenant　Close；　and　reconciling　myself　to　my　father。　　I　found　out　Jack　Hadaway；　who　was　TUPTOWING　away　with　a　dozen　of　wretched　boys；　and　a　fine　string　of　stories　he　had　ready　to　regale　my　ears　withal。　　My　father　had　lectured　on　what　he　called　〃my　falling　away；〃　for　seven　Sabbaths；　when；　just　as　his　parishioners　began　to　hope　that　the　course　was　at　an　end；　he　was　found　dead　in　his　bed　on　the　eighth　Sunday　morning。　　Jack　Hadaway　assured　me；　that　if　I　wished　to　atone　for　my　errors；　by　undergoing　the　fate　of　the　first　martyr；　I　had　only　to　go　to　my　native　village；　where　the　very　stones　of　the　street　would　rise　up　against　me　as　my　father's　murderer。　　Here　was　a　pretty　item　well；　my　tongue　clove　to　my　mouth　for　an　hour；　and　was　only　able　at　last　to　utter　the　name　of　Mrs。　Cantrips。　　Oh；　this　was　a　new　theme　for　my　Job's　comforter。　　My　sudden　departuremy　father's　no　less　sudden　deathhad　prevented　the　payment　of　the　arrears　of　my　board　and　lodgingthe　landlord　was　a　haberdasher；　with　a　heart　as　rotten　as　the　muslin　wares　he　dealt　in。　　Without　respect　to　her　age　or　gentle　kin；　my　Lady　Kittlebasket　was　ejected　from　her　airy　habitationher　porridge…pot；　silver　posset…dish；　silver…mounted　spectacles；　and　Daniel's　Cambridge　Bible；　sold；　at　the　Cross　of　Edinburgh；　to　the　caddie　who　would　bid　highest　for　them；　and　she　herself　driven　to　the　workhouse；　where　she　got　in　with　difficulty；　but　was　easily　enough　lifted　out；　at　the　end　of　the　month；　as　dead　as　her　friends　could　desire。　　Merry　tidings　this　to　me；　who　had　been　the　dd'　（he　paused　a　moment）　'ORIGO　MALIGad；　I　think　my　confession　would　sound　better　in　Latin　than　in　English！
  'But　the　best　jest　was　behindI　had　just　power　to　stammer　out　something　about　Jessby　my　faith　he　HAD　an　answer！　　I　had　taught　Jess　one　trade；　and；　like　a　prudent　girl；　she　had　found　out　another　for　herself；　unluckily；　they　were　both　contraband；　and　Jess　Cantrips；　daughter　of　the　Lady　Kittlebasket；　had　the　honour　to　be　transported　to　the　plantations；　for　street…walking　and　pocket…picking；　about　six　months　before　I　touched　shore。'
  He　changed　the　bitter　tone　of　affected　pleasantry　into　an　attempt　to　laugh；　then　drew　his　swarthy　hand　across　his　swarthy　eyes；　and　said　in　a　more　natural　accent；　'Poor　Jess！'
  There　was　a　pauseuntil　Fairford；　pitying　the　poor　man's　state　of　mind；　and　believing　he　saw　something　in　him　that；　but　for　early　error　and　subsequent　profligacy；　might　have　been　excellent　and　noble；　helped　on　the　conversation　by　asking；　in　a　tone　of　commiseration；　how　he　had　been　able　to　endure　such　a　load　of　calamity。
  'Why；　very　well；'　answered　the　seaman；　'exceedingly　welllike　a　tight　ship　in　a　brisk　gale。　　Let　me　recollect。　　I　remember　thanking　Jack；　very　composedly；　for　the　interesting　and　agreeable　communication；　I　then　pulled　out　my　canvas　pouch；　with　my　hoard　of　moidores；　and　taking　out　two　pieces；　I　bid　Jack　keep　the　rest　till　I　came　back；　as　I　was　for　a　cruise　about　Auld　Reekie。　　The　poor　devil　looked　anxiously；　but　I　shook　him　by　the　hand；　and　ran　downstairs；　in　such　confusion　of　mind；　that　notwithstanding　what　I　had　heard；　I　expected　to　meet　Jess　at　every　turning。
  It　was　market…day；　and　the　usual　number　of　rogues　and　fools　were　assembled　at　the　Cross。　　I　observed　everybody　looked　strange　on　me；　and　I　thought　some　laughed。　　I　fancy　I　had　been　making　queer　faces　enough；　and　perhaps　talking　to　myself；　When　I　saw　myself　used　in　this　manner；　I　held　out　my　clenched　fists　straight　before　me；　stooped　my　head；　and；　like　a　ram　when　be　makes　his　race；　darted　off　right　down　the　street；　scattering　groups　of　weatherbeaten　lairds　and　periwigged　burgesses；　and　bearing　down　all　before　me。　　I　heard　the　cry　of　〃Seize　the　madman！〃　echoed；　in　Celtic　sounds；　from　the　City　Guard；　with　〃Ceaze　ta　matman！〃but　pursuit　and　opposition　were　in　vain。　　I　pursued　my　career；　the　smell　of　the　sea；　I　suppose；　led　me　to　Leith；　where；　soon　after；　I　found　myself　walking　very　quietly　on　the　shore；　admiring　the　tough　round　and　sound　cordage　of　the　vessels；　and　thinking　how　a　loop；　with　a　man　at　the　end　of　one　of　them；　would　look；　by　way　of　tassel。
  'I　was　opposite　to　the　rendezvous；　formerly　my　place　of　refuge　in　I　boltedfound　one　or　two　old　acquaintances；　made　half　a　dozen　new　onesdrank　for　two　dayswas　put　aboard　the　tender　off　to　Portsmouththen　landed　at　the　Haslar　hospital　in　a　fine　hissing…hot　fever。　　Never　mindI　got　betternothing　can　kill　methe　West　Indies　were　my　lot　again；　for　since　I　did　not　go　where　I　deserved　in　the　next　world；　I　had　something　as　like　such　quarters　as　can　be　had　in　thisblack　devils　for　inhabitants　flames　and　earthquakes；　and　so　forth；　for　your　element。　　Well；　brother；　something　or　other　I　did　or　saidI　can't　tell　whatHow　the　devil　should　I；　when　I　was　as　drunk　as　David's　sow；　you　know？　But　I　was　punished；　my　ladmade　to　kiss　the　wench　that　never　speaks　but　when　she　scolds；　and　that's　the　gunner's　daughter；　comrade。　　Yes；　the　minister's　son　of　no　matter　wherehas　the　cat's　scratch　on　his　back！　　This　roused　me；　and　when　we　were　ashore　with　the　boat；　I　gave　three　inches　of　the　dirk；　after　a　stout　tussle；　to　the　fellow　I　blamed　most；　and　took　the　bush　for　it。　　There　were　plenty　of　wild　lads　then　along　shoreand；　I　don't　care　who　knowsI　went　on　the　account；　look　yousailed　under　the　black　flag　and　marrow…boneswas　a　good　friend　to　the　sea；　and　an　enemy　to　all　that　sailed　on　it。'
  Fairford；　though　uneasy　in　his　mind　at　finding　himself；　a　lawyer；　so　close　to　a　character　so　lawless；　thought　it　best；　nevertheless；　to　put　a　good　face　on　the　matter；　and　asked　Mr。　Ewart；　with　as　much　unconcern　as　he　could　assume；　'whether　he　was　fortunate　as　a　rover？'
  'No；　nodn　it；　no；'　replied　Nanty；　'the　devil　a　crumb　of　butter　was　ever　churned　that　would　stick　upon　my　bread。　　There　was　no　order　among　ushe　that　was　captain　to…day；　was　swabber　to…morrow；　and　as　for　plunderthey　say　old　Avery；　and　one　or　two　close　hunks；　made　money；　but　in　my　time；　all　went　as　it　came；　and　reason　good；　for　if　a　fellow　had　saved　five　dollars；　his　throat　would　have　been　cut　in　his　hammock。　　And　then　it　was　a　cruel；　bloody　work。Pah；we'll　say　no　more　about　it。　　I　broke　with　them　at　last；　for　what　they　did　on　board　of　a　bit　of　a　snowno　matter　what　it　was　bad　enough；　since　it　frightened　meI　took　French　leave；　and　came　in　upon　the　proclamation；　so　I　am　free　of　all　that　business。　　And　here　I　sit；　the　skipper　of　the　JUMPING　JENNYa　nutshell　of　a　thing；　but　goes　through　the　water　l