The flight of Mr.
Beauchamp's letter placed it in the common order of occurrences for the youthful author of it.

Jack Wilmore, a messmate, offered to second him, though he should be dismissed the service for it.

Another second would easily be found somewhere; for, as Nevil observed, you have only to set these affairs going, and British blood rises: we are not the people you see on the surface.

Wilmore's father was a parson, for instance.

What did he do?
He could not help himself: he supplied the army and navy with recruits! One son was in a marching regiment, the other was Jack, and three girls had vowed never to quit the rectory save as brides of officers.