CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
"What!" I exclaimed, in much amazement.

"Is it really you, Jorrocks?
I can hardly believe my eyes!" "Aye, aye, it's me sure enough," replied my old ally of the _Saucy Sall_, shaking hands with great heartiness, as if he were really glad to see me again under such altered circumstances.

"It's me sure enough, Master Leigh--that is, unless I've got some double of a twin brother, as like me as two peas, a-sailing round in these latitudes!" There could be no question of his identity after I had once heard the tones of his well-remembered voice; but the beard which he had allowed to grow since I had last seen him had so completely altered the expression of his face, or rather indeed its entire appearance, that there was some excuse for my not recognising him at the moment.
Jorrocks, however, he was without doubt; and, I need hardly say that I was quite as much pleased at this unexpected meeting as he seemed to be--albeit the sight of him, when I realised the fact that it was really himself and heard his cheery familiar accents, brought back in an instant to my mind the scene on board the coal brig that eventful day when the _Saucy Sall's_ surly skipper discovered that Tom and I had stolen a march on him, and treated us each to a dose of his sovereign specific for stowaways! "How is it, though, Jorrocks, that you've abandoned the brig ?" I asked him presently, when we had got over our mutual surprise at thus meeting in such an unlooked-for fashion.

"I thought you were a fixture there, and didn't know you were a regular sailor--I mean one accustomed to sea- going ships like this ?" I said this with much dignity, being greatly impressed with the responsibility of my new position; and I'm sure I must have spoken as if I were a post captain at least, addressing some subordinate officer! Jorrocks, however, took my patronage in good part, although I could detect a faint cock of his eye, denoting sly amusement at my ridiculous assumption of superiority.

This he now proceeded to "take down a peg" in his roundabout way.
"Why, bless you, Master Leigh, I sailed as able seaman in a China clipper afore you were born, and when I were that high!" he replied, laughing, putting his hand about a foot above the deck to illustrate his approximate stature at the period referred to, and representing himself to be at that time certainly a very diminutive son of Neptune.
"You must have been very young, then," said I, a little bit nettled at his remark--thinking it a slur on my nautical experience, so bran-new as that was! But Jorrocks went on as coolly as if I had not cast a doubt on the veracity of his statement concerning his early commencement of sailor life.
"Aye, aye," he answered, quite collectedly, "I grant I were young, but then you must rec'lect, my lad, I got the flavour o' the sea early in a lighthouse tower, where I was born and brought up, my father having the lantern to mind; and, since then, I've v'y'ged a'most to every part you could mention, and shipped in a'most every kind of craft, from an East Indyman down to a Yarmouth hoy.