The “Sailors’ Welcome”—Miles has a Night of it and Enlists—His Friend Armstrong has an Agreeable Surprise at the Soldiers’ Institute.

 

It was not long before our hero discovered the reason of Jack¹ Molloy’s solicitude² about his appearance. It was that he, Miles, should pass for a sailor, and thus be in a position to claim the hospitality of the Sailors’ Welcome,—to the inner life of which civilians⁴ were not admitted, though they were privileged, with the public in general, to the use of the outer refreshment-room.

 

“Come here, Jack Molloy,” he said, leading his friend aside, when he made this discovery. “You pride yourself on being a true-blue British tar⁵, don’t you?”

 

“I does,” said Jack, with a profound solemnity of decision that comported⁶ well with his character and condition.

 

“And you would scorn to serve under the French flag, or the Turkish flag, or the Black flag, or any flag but the union Jack, wouldn’t you?”

 

“Right you are, mate; them’s my sentiments to a tee!”

 

“Well, then, you can’t expect me to sail under false colours any more than yourself,” continued Miles. “I scorn to sail into this port under your straw hat, so I’ll strike these colours, bid you good-bye, and make sail for another port where a civilian³ will be welcome.”

 

Molloy frowned at the floor for some moments in stern perplexity.

 

“You’ve took the wind out o’ my sails entirely⁷, you have,” he replied at last; “an’ you’re right, young man, but I’m troubled about you. If you don’t run into this here port you’ll have to beat about in the offing all night, or cast anchor in the streets, for I don’t know of another lodgin’ in Portsm’uth w’ere you could hang out except them disrepitible grog-shops. In coorse, there’s the big hotels; but I heerd you say to Sloper that you was bound to do things cheap, bein’ hard up.”

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