He appreciated the consideration; but having attired himself for bed, he found himself enveloped in a frothy abundance of frills and fal-lals, lace at the wrists, lace round the neck, with flutters of ribbon here and there.

When, at the breakfast table in the morning, he related how he had been rigged, there was a shriek of laughter from the young ladies; the simple explanation being that one of them had vacated her room to accommodate the visitor, and had forgotten to remove her nightdress.
The visit had more important consequences.

Captain Pasley very soon saw that he had an exceptional lad before him, and at once put him on the Alert.

He was entered as "lieutenant's servant" on October 23rd, 1789.

He remained there for rather more than seven months, learning the practical part of a sailor's business.