the rueful countenance of an envying messmate who stands gazing at him from the poop of the vessel. How different are their feelings: the latter has just come up to take his watch, doomed to pace the deck in solitude for four long hours, and subject to the harassing caprice of a superior and perhaps spiteful officer; while the former is about to leave the prison-like ship to revel in liberty, and to be for a time his own master. There sit before him six athletic seamen, with their oars poised in the air, and watching his eye for the signal to let them fall; there seated on the quarter of the boat abaft him is the old grey-headed quarter master, awaiting his order (the order of a mere boy, to whom he might have been grandfather) whither to steer the cutter, which soon dances over the waves and leaves the ship far, far astern.

The crew of the cutter were all dressed alike, having on little round white straw hats and black ribbons, with a bright copper plate stuck upon the front of each, on which was engraved the name of the ship to which they belonged, black silk neckerchiefs, blue striped shirts, snow white trowsers, very wide at the foot, long quartered shoes, with neat brass buckles, and blue jackets, with a strip of white canvass stitched along the seams of the elbows and back, and brass anchor buttons. The bowman who stood with a boat hook held up ready to hold on by while the captain landed, was a flat nosed African, whose coal black face formed a striking contrast with the colour of his hat.

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"Now, young gentleman, you'll remain in the cutter until I return," said Captain Dalrymple to his midshipman, in a sharp and authoritative tone of voice; then jumping on shore, he turned round and added, "and mind, sir, that you do not allow one of the men to leave

the boat on any pretext whatever-do you hear what I Mr. Reckless?"

say,

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Ay, ay, sir," answered the youngster, at the same instant respectfully raising his hat.

Captain Dalrymple, who had merely touched at St. Vincents for the purpose of delivering in person some private dispatches from the Admiral of the station to Sir James B, the governor of the island, now directed his steps towards his Excellency's residence. His route lay through the famed and beautiful botanic garden, which is in the form of an oblong square, about a mile from Kingstown, and occupies nearly thirty acres of ground. The lower part of this picturesque spot is a level, but soon becomes a gradual ascent, until it terminates in a steep hill, a delightful mountain stream forming its northern boundary. The governor's house is situated near the upper part of the garden, commanding a splendid view: immediately below is to be seen the capital of the colony, in front the deep blue sea and the Grenadine isles in the distance, together with a magnificent vista, bounded on each side by a long and spacious avenue of lofty forest trees.

The midshipman whom we have just introduced, was about as mischievous a young scamp as ever mounted the 'curse ** in his hat, or wore a dirk by his side. Nevertheless, Master Reuben Reckless was what might be termed a nice lad. He always paid the greatest deference to age, and was most respectful to those in authority over him; he was a clever boy too for his years, and therefore a favourite with his preceptors. temper was not the best in the world, for he had a proud

His

* A term applied to the gold loop worn by naval officers in their hats,

and unbending spirit: we do not mean that sort of pride which is possessed by those who fancy they are better than their fellow mortals placed in a lower sphere of life to themselves, but we mean the sort of pride which superiority of mind alone can give. The youth's spirit was ever unbending when he deemed himself in a right cause, and not to be controlled by any individual of inferior intellect to his own; add to that, he was dauntless, and most presumptuously venturesome, with only such failings in his nature as were always subservient to his better judgment; the sincerity of his after repentance for any misdemeanor committed, convincing those about him that he possessed a heart not only open and forgiving, but also free from malicious resentment. Although of a slender form and, as we have before observed, delicate in appearance, still in any gymnastic pursuit, when perseverance, daring, and an extra degree of hardihood were required, our hero never manifested a want of that stimulating spirit which always enabled him to undergo the greatest fatigue, and to suffer the severest privations attendant upon the hazardous adventures of his profession with a fortitude equal to those of more robust frame. When only ten years old Reuben Reckless might have been termed both an enterprizing and intelligent youth; but what made his society more particularly courted by boys of his own age was the readiness he ever evinced to defend the oppressed, and to hurl vengeance upon the heads of their seniors who would have tyrannically oppressed them; the latter feared the boldness of his disposition, so manifest in his independent and untameable demeanour towards them; while the former looked upon him as their champion and defender of those rights which others attempted to

usurp from them. Although our hero was always the first to lead his companions into a scrape, still he possessed that soul of honour within his bosom that made him scorn to desert them, or try to avoid his share of the punishment when justice overtook them. In conclusion we will just inform our readers that Reuben Reckless was an orphan, without a relation in the wide world that he knew of, and with only one friend to look up to, and that one friend was Captain the Honourable Timothy Dalrymple, under whose care he had been placed some eighteen months previous to the time of which we write. But more of that anon.

Scarcely was Captain Dalrymple out of sight of the landing place, when the young urchin of a reefer, after giving the same order to old Grant the coxswain which he had himself received, nimbly sprung on shore, and began to converse with the admiring populace who were idly gazing upon the beach. There strutted the little fellow unmindful of all that the captain had said to him, and with his thoughts only occupied by a sense of his own brief authority. He felt his importance gradually to grow upon him as every fresh questioner inquired the purport of the frigate's touching at the island. "Surely," thought he to himself, as he made his way through the crowd, “I may venture to leave my command for a short while in charge of the quartermaster. Old Crabs'* cannot be back again just yet, therefore I think I may do it with safety. Besides, he leaves the ship in charge of his first lieutenant, consequently I see no reason why I should not leave my cutter in charge of mine. So

A nickname by which Captain D. was known on board his own ship, and which was given to him on account of the particularly vinegar-like expression of his countenance.

here goes for a turn on shore, be the consequence what it may. Bless us! I stagger like a drunken man; why I shall forget how to walk soon; it is well that I have jumped on land if it be only to acquire my shore-going legs again; I have positively been on board so long that everything here seems to be whirling round with me. Hiccup!-Hollo! what, am I going to be sea sick— psha! Sea sick!—how can I be sea sick on terra-firma? What a green horn I am to think of it. Come, cheer up, my fine fellow, and let us see what is to be seen in this place. I will take a cruize. Ah! who be they? there seems to be a whole fleet of ladies there-that speaks well for the island at all events; I will bear down and hail them, make them shew their colours, overhaul their cargoes, and learn whether they talk black or white lingo-if I don't, blow me uppards, as old Grant says; so here goes." And off the youth started full run, after thus reasoning with himself.

Every step the Midshipman took placed a greater distance between himself and his charge; but as he had not been on shore for many, many months previous, and therefore having had no very recent opportunity of sporting his elegant and particularly active figure in full uniform to the landfolks, the temptation for committing such a dereliction of duty that now offered was too great to be withstood, and although ourselves of rigid disciplinarian principles, we are inclined to make some excuse for the youth on the present occasion. There promenaded the little reefer, as conceited as a young peacock on the first spreading of its tail: there he was with his large cocked hat stuck knowingly on one side of his head, in imitation, and assuming the swaggering walk of, an oldster in the service. His long blue coat