Elbert Hubbard - "Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great, Volume 9"

Kate Langley Bosher - "Miss Gibbie Gault"

Walter de la Mare - "Peacock Pie, A Book of Rhymes"

Mark Rutherford - "The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: Mr. Midshipman Easy

F >> Frederick Marryat >> Mr. Midshipman Easy




"Azar, you are angry that this Frankish houri should come to the
apartments of which you have hitherto been sole mistress. Fear not,
you will soon be another's, for Osman Ali has asked thee for his wife,
and I have listened to his request."

Now Osman Ali was as old as her father, and Azar hated him. She
offered her hand tremblingly, and led Gascoigne into the zenana. The
Moor attended them to the threshold, bowed, and left them.

That Gascoigne had time to press his suit, and that he did not lose
such a golden opportunity, may easily be imagined, and her father's
communication relative to Osman Ali very much assisted our
midshipman's cause.

He left the zenana, like most midshipmen, in love; that is, a little
above quicksilver boiling heat. Jack, who had remained in a state of
some suspense all this time, was not sorry to hear voices in an
amicable tone, and in a few minutes afterwards he perceived that
Gascoigne was ascending the ladder. It occurred to our hero that it
was perhaps advisable that he should not be seen, as the Moor in his
gallantry might come up the ladder with his supposed lady. He was
right, for Abdel Faza not only followed her up the ladder on his side
but assisted her to descend on the other, and with great ceremony took
his leave.

Gascoigne hastened to Jack, who had been peeping, and gave him a
detail of what had passed, describing Azar as the most beautiful,
fascinating, and fond creature that ever was created. After half an
hour's relation he stopped short, because he discovered that Jack was
fast asleep.

The visits of Gascoigne were repeated every night; old Abdel Faza
became every time more gallant, and our midshipman was under the
necessity of assuming a virtue if he had it not. He pretended to be
very modest.

In the meantime Captain Hogg continued his attentions to the real Miss
Hicks. The mate proceeded to get the bullocks on board, and as more
than three weeks had already passed away, it was time to think of
departing for Toulon; but Captain Hogg was too much in love; and as
for Gascoigne, he intended, like all midshipmen in love, to give up
the service. Jack reasoned with the captain, who appeared to listen to
reason, because Miss Hicks had agreed to follow his fortunes, and
crown his transports in the transport Mary Ann. He therefore proposed
that they should get away as fast as they could, and as soon as they
had weighed the anchor he would come on shore, take off Miss Hicks,
and make all sail for Toulon.

Jack might have suffered this; the difficulty was with Gascoigne, who
would not hear of going away without his lovely Azar. At last Jack
planned a scheme which he thought would succeed, and which would be a
good joke to tell the Governor. He therefore appeared to consent to
Gascoigne's carrying off his little Moor, and they canvassed how it
was to be managed. Jack then told Gascoigne that he had hit upon a
plan which would succeed.

"I find," said he, "from Captain Hogg, that he has an intention of
carrying off Miss Hicks, and when I sounded him as to his having a
lady with him, he objected to it immediately, saying, that he must
have all the cabin to himself and his intended. Now, in the first
place, I have no notion of giving up the cabin to Miss Hicks or Mrs
Hogg. It will be very uncomfortable to be shut out, because he wishes
to make love; I therefore am determined that he shall not take off
Miss Hicks. He has proposed to me that he shall go on board, and get
the brig under way, leaving me with a boat on shore to sign the
vouchers, and that Miss Hicks shall slip into the boat when I go off
at dusk. Now I will not bring off Miss Hicks; if he wants to marry
her, let him do it when I am not on board. I have paid for everything,
and I consider the cabin as mine.

"Look you, Ned, if you wish to carry off your little Moor, there is
but one way, and that is a very simple one; leave her a dress of Miss
Hicks's when you go there to-morrow night, and tell her to slip down
at dusk, and come out of the house: all the danger will be in her own
house, for as soon as she is out, she will be supposed to be the
vice-consul's sister, and will not be observed or questioned. I will
look out for and bring her on board instead of Miss Hicks. Hogg will
have the brig under way, and will be too happy to make all sail, and
she shall lock the cabin inside, so that the mistake shall not be
discovered till the next morning, and we shall have a good laugh at
Captain Hogg."

Gascoigne pronounced that Jack's scheme was capital, and agreed to it,
thanking him, and declaring that he was the best friend that he ever
had. "So I will be," thought Jack, "but you will not acknowledge it
at first." Jack then went to Captain Hogg, and appeared to enter
warmly into his views, but told him that Hicks suspected what was
going on, and had told him so, at the same time declaring that he
would not lose sight of his sister until after Hogg was on board.

"Now," says Jack, "you know you cannot do the thing by main force; so
the best plan will be for you to go on board and get under way,
leaving me to bring off Miss Hicks, when her brother will imagine all
danger to be over."

"Many thanks, Mr Easy," replied Captain Hogg; "it will be capital, and
I'll arrange it all with my Sophy. How very kind of you!"

"But, Hogg, will you promise me secrecy?"

"Yes," replied the captain.

"That Gascoigne is a very silly fellow, and wants to run away with a
girl he has made acquaintance with here; and what do you think he has
proposed? that after the ship was under way, that I shall carry her
off in the boat; and he has borrowed one of the dresses of Miss Hicks,
that it may appear to be her. I have agreed to it, but as I am
determined that he shall not commit such a folly, I shall bring off
Miss Hicks instead; and, observe, Hogg, he is that sort of wild
fellow, that if he was to find that I had cheated him, he would
immediately go on shore and be left behind; therefore we must hand
Miss Hicks down in the cabin, and she will lock the door all night, so
that he may not observe the trick till the next morning, and then we
shall have a fine laugh at him."

Captain Hogg replied it would be an excellent joke, as Gascoigne did
before him.

Now it must be observed, that the water and the bullocks, and the
sheep and fowls, were all on board; and Mr Hicks, having received his
money from Jack, had very much altered his manner; he was barely
civil, for as he had got all he could out of our hero, he was anxious
to get rid of him as well as of Captain Hogg. Our hero was very
indignant at this, but as it would not suit his present views.
pretended not to notice it--on the contrary, he professed the warmest
friendship for the vice-consul, and took an opportunity of saying that
he could not return his kindness in a better way than by informing him
of the plot which had been arranged. He then told him of the intended
escape of his sister, and that he was the person intended to bring her
off.

"Infamous, by heavens!" cried the vice-consul; "I shall write to the
foreign office on the subject."

"I think," said Jack, "it will be much better to do what I shall
propose, which will end in a hearty laugh, and to the confusion of
Captain Hogg. Do you dress yourself in your sister's clothes, and I
will bring you off instead of her. Let him imagine that he has your
sister secure; I will hand you down to the cabin, and do you lock
yourself in. He cannot sail without my orders, and I will not sign
the vouchers. The next morning we will open the cabin-door and have a
good laugh at him. Desire your boat to be off at daylight to take you
on shore, and I will then make him proceed to Toulon forthwith. It
will be a capital joke."

So thought the vice-consul, as well as Gascoigne and Captain Hogg. He
shook hands with Jack, and was as civil to him as before.

That night Gascoigne left one of Miss Hicks's many dresses with Azar,
who agreed to follow his fortunes, and who packed up all the jewels
and money she could lay her hands upon. Poor little child, she
trembled with fear and delight. Miss Hicks smuggled, as she thought,
a box of clothes on board, and in the box was her fortune of three
hundred dollars. Mr Hicks laughed in his sleeve, so did Jack; and
every one went to bed with expectations that their wishes would be
realised. After an early dinner, Captain Hogg and Gascoigne went on
board, both squeezing Jack's hand as if they were never to see him
again, and looks of intelligence passed between all the parties.

As soon as they were out of the door the vice-consul chuckled and Miss
Hicks, who thought he chuckled at the idea of having rid himself of
Captain Hogg, chuckled still more as she looked at our hero, who was
her confidant; and our hero, for reasons known to the reader, chuckled
more than either of them.

A little before dark, the boat was sent on shore from the brig, which
was now under way, and Mr Hicks, as had been agreed, said that he
should go into the office and prepare the vouchers--that is, put on
his sister's clothes. Miss Hicks immediately rose, and wishing our
hero a pleasant voyage, as had been agreed, said that she should
retire for the night, as she had a bad headache--she wished her
brother good-night, and went into her room to wait another hour, when
our hero, having shoved off the boat to deceive the vice-consul, was
to return, meet her in the garden, and take her off to the brig. Our
hero then went into the office and assisted the vice-consul, who took
off all his own clothes and tied them up in a handkerchief, intending
to resume them after he had gone into the cabin.

As soon as he was ready, Jack carried his bundle and led the supposed
Miss Hicks down to the boat. They shoved off in a great hurry, and
Jack took an opportunity of dropping Mr Hicks's bundle overboard. As
soon as they arrived alongside, Mr Hicks ascended, and was handed by
Jack down into the cabin: he squeezed Jack's hand as he entered,
saying in a whisper, "To-morrow morning what a laugh we shall have!"
and then he locked the door. In the meantime the boat was hooked on
and hoisted up, and Jack took the precaution to have the dead lights
lowered, that Mr Hicks might not be able to ascertain what was going
on. Gascoigne came up to our hero and squeezed his hand.

"I'm so much obliged to you, Jack. I say, to-morrow morning what a
laugh we shall have!"

As soon as the boat was up, and the mainyard filled, Captain Hogg also
came up to our hero, shaking him by the hand and thanking him; and he
too concluded by saying, "I say, Mr Easy, to-morrow morning what a
laugh we shall have!"

"Let those laugh who win," thought Jack. The wind was fair, the watch
was set, the course was steered, and all went down to their hammocks,
and went to sleep, waiting for to-morrow morning. Mr Hicks, also,
having nothing better to do, went to sleep, and by the morning dawn,
the transport Mary Ann was more than a hundred miles from the African
shore.


CHAPTER XXIV

Our hero plays the very devil.

We must leave the reader to imagine the effect of the next morning's
denouement. Everyone was in a fury except Jack, who did nothing but
laugh. The captain wanted to return to obtain Miss Hicks, Gascoigne
to obtain Azar, and the vice-consul to obtain his liberty--but the
wind was foul for their return, and Jack soon gained the captain on
his side. He pointed out to him that, in the first place, if he
presumed to return, he would forfeit his charter bond; in the second,
he would have to pay for all the bullocks that died; in the third,
that if he wished to take Miss Hicks as his wife, he must not first
injure her character by having her on board before the solemnity; and
lastly, that he could always go and marry her whenever he pleased; the
brother could not prevent him. All this was very good advice, and the
captain became quite calm and rational, and set his studding-sails
below and aloft.

As for Gascoigne, it was no use reasoning with him, so it was agreed
that he should have satisfaction as soon as they could get on shore
again. Mr Hicks was the most violent; he insisted that the vessel
should return, while both Jack and the captain refused, although he
threatened them with the whole foreign office. He insisted upon
having his clothes, but Jack replied that they had tumbled overboard
as they pulled from the shore. He then commanded the mate and men to
take the vessel back, but they laughed at him and his woman's clothes.
"At all events, I'll have you turned out of the service," said he to
our hero in his fury. "I shall be extremely obliged to you," said
Jack--and Captain Hogg was so much amused with the vice-consul's
appearance in his sister's clothes, that he quite forgot his own
disappointment in laughing at his intended brother-in-law. He made
friends again with Jack, who regained his ascendancy, and ordered out
the porter on the capstern-head. They had an excellent dinner, but Mr
Hicks refused to join them, which however did not spoil the appetite
of Jack or the captain: as for Gascoigne, he could not eat a mouthful,
but he drank to excess, looking over the rim of his tumbler, as if he
could devour our hero, who only laughed the more.

Mr Hicks had applied to the men to lend him some clothes, but Jack had
foreseen that, and he was omnipotent. There was not a jacket or a
pair of trousers to be had for love or money. Mr Hicks then
considered it advisable to lower his tone, and he applied to Captain
Hogg, who begged to be excused without he consented to his marriage
with his sister, to which Mr Hicks gave an indignant negative. He
then applied to Gascoigne, who told him in a very surly tone to go to
h--l. At last he applied to our hero, who laughed, and said that he
would see him d---d first. So Mr Hicks sat down in his petticoats and
vowed revenge. Gascoigne, who had drunk much and eaten nothing,
turned in and went to sleep--while Captain Hogg and our hero drank
porter on the capstern.

Thus passed the first day, and the wind was famously fair--the
bullocks lowed, the cocks crew, the sheep baa'd, and the Mary Ann made
upwards of two hundred miles. Jack took possession of the other berth
in the cabin, and his Majesty's representative was obliged to lie down
in his petticoats upon a topsail which lay between decks, with a
bullock on each side of him, who every now and then made a dart at him
with their horns, as if they knew that it was to him that they were
indebted for their embarkation and being destined to drive the scurvy
out of the Toulon fleet.

We cannot enter into the details of the passage, which, as the wind
was fair, was accomplished in ten days without the loss of a bullock.
During this time Mr Hicks condescended to eat without speaking,
imagining that the hour of retribution would come when they joined the
Admiral. Gascoigne gradually recovered himself, but did not speak to
our hero, who continued to laugh and drink porter. On the eleventh
morning they were in the midst of the Toulon fleet, and Mr Hicks
smiled exultingly as he passed our hero in his petticoats, and
wondered that Jack showed no signs of trepidation.

The fleet hove-to, Jack ran under the Admiral's stern, lowered down
his boat, and went on board, showed his credentials, and reported his
bullocks. The general signal was made, there was a fair division of
the spoil, and then the Admiral asked our hero whether the master of
the transport had any other stock on board. Jack replied that he had
not; but that, having been told by the Governor of Malta that they
might be acceptable, he had bought a few sheep and some dozen of
fowls, which were much at his service, if he would accept of them. The
Admiral was much obliged to the Governor, and also to Jack, for
thinking of him, but would not, of course, accept of the stock without
paying for them. He requested him to send all of them on board that
he could spare, and then asked Jack to dine with him, for Jack had put
on his best attire, and looked very much of a gentleman.

"Mr Easy," said the flag-captain, who had been looking at the
transport with his glass, "is that the master's wife on board?"

"No, sir," replied Jack; "it's the vice-consul."

"What, in petticoats! the vice-consul?"

"Yes, the vice-consul of Tetuan. He came on board in that dress when
the brig was under way, and I considered it my duty not to delay,
being aware how very important it was that the fleet should be
provided with fresh beef."

"What is all this, Mr Easy?" said the Admiral; "there has been some
trick here. You will oblige me by coming into the cabin."

Easy followed the Admiral and flag-captain into the cabin, and then
boldly told the whole story how he tricked them all. It was
impossible for either of them to help laughing, and when they began to
laugh, it was almost as impossible to stop.

"Mr Easy," said the Admiral at last, "I do not altogether blame you;
it appears to me the captain of the transport would have delayed
sailing because he was in love--and that Mr Gascoigne would have
stayed behind because he was infatuated, independent of the ill-will
against the English which would have been excited by the abduction of
the girl. But I think you might have contrived to manage all that
without putting the vice-consul in petticoats."

"I acted to the best of my judgment, sir," replied Jack, very humbly.

"And altogether you have done well. Captain Malcolm, send a boat for
the vice-consul."

Mr Hicks was too impatient to tell his wrongs to care for his being in
his sister's clothes: he came on board, and although the tittering was
great, he imagined that it would soon be all in his favour, when it
was known that he was a diplomatic. He told his story, and waited for
the decision of the Admiral, which was to crush our hero, who stood
with the midshipmen on the lee side of the deck; but the Admiral
replied, "Mr Hicks, in the first place, this appears to me to be a
family affair concerning the marriage of your sister, with which I
have nothing to do. You went on board of your own free will in
woman's clothes. Mr Easy's orders were positive, and he obeyed them.
It was his duty to sail as soon as the transport was ready. You may
forward your complaint if you please, but, as a friend, I tell you
that it will probably occasion your dismissal; for these kind of
pranks are not understood at the foreign office. You may return to
the transport, which, after she has touched at Mahon, will proceed
again to Tetuan. The boat is alongside, sir."

Mr Hicks, astonished at the want of respect paid to a vice-consul,
shoved his petticoats between his legs, and went down the side amidst
the laughter of the whole of the ship's company. Our hero dined with
the Admiral, and was well received. He got his orders to sail that
night for Minorca, and as soon as dinner was over he returned on
board, where he found Captain Hogg very busy selling his porter--
Gascoigne walking the deck in a brown study--and Mr Hicks solus abaft,
sulking in his petticoats.

As soon as they were clear of the boats, the Mary Ann hoisted her
ensign and made sail, and as all the porter was not yet sold, Jack
ordered up a bottle.

Jack was much pleased with the result of his explanation with the
Admiral, and he felt that, for once, he had not only got into no
scrape himself, but that he had prevented others. Gascoigne walked
the deck gloomily; the fact was, that he was very unhappy: he had had
time to reflect, and now that the first violence had subsided, he felt
that our hero had done him a real service, and had prevented him from
committing an act of egregious folly; and yet he had summoned this
friend to meet him in the field--and such had been his gratitude. He
would have given the world to recall what had passed, and to make
friends, but he felt ashamed, as most people do, to acknowledge his
error; he had, however, almost made up his mind to it, and was walking
up and down thinking in what manner he might contrive it, when Jack,
who was sitting, as usual, in a chair by the capstern with his porter
by him, said to himself, "Now I'll lay my life that Ned wants to make
friends, and is ashamed to speak first; I may be mistaken, and he may
fly off at a tangent; but even if I am, at all events it will not be I
who am wrong--I'll try him." Jack waited till Gascoigne passed him
again, and then said, looking kindly and knowingly in his face,--

"I say, Ned, will you have a glass of porter?"

Gascoigne smiled, and Jack held out his hand; the reconciliation was
effected in a moment, and the subject of quarrel was not canvassed by
either party.

"We shall be at Minorca in a day or two," observed Jack, after a
while; "now I shall be glad to get there. Do you know, Ned, that I
feel very much satisfied with myself; I have got into no scrape this
time, and I shall, notwithstanding, have a good story to tell the
Governor when I go to Malta."

"Partly at my expense," replied Gascoigne.

"Why, you will figure a little in it, but others will figure much
more."

"I wonder what has become of that poor girl," observed Gascoigne, who
could not refrain from mentioning her; "what hurts me most is, that
she must think me such a brute."

"No doubt of that, Ned,--take another glass of porter."

"Her father gave me this large diamond."

"The old goat--sell it, and drink his health with it."

"No, I'll keep it in memory of his daughter." Here Gascoigne fell into
a melancholy reverie, and Jack thought of Agnes.

In two days they arrived at Mahon, and found the Aurora already there,
in the command of Captain Wilson. Mr Hicks had persuaded Captain Hogg
to furnish him with clothes, Jack having taken off the injunction as
soon as he had quitted the Admiral. Mr Hicks was aware, that if the
Admiral would not listen to his complaint, it was no use speaking to a
captain: so he remained on board a pensioner upon Captain Hogg, and
after our midshipmen quitted the transport they became very good
friends. Mr Hicks consented to the match, and Captain Hogg was made
happy. As for poor Azar, she had wandered about until she was tired,
in Miss Hicks's dress, and at last returned broken hearted to her
father's, and was admitted by Abdel Faza himself; he imagined it was
Miss Hicks, and was in transports--he discovered it was his daughter,
and he was in a fury. The next day she went to the zenana of Osman
Ali.

When Jack reported himself he did not tell the history of the
elopements, that he might not hurt the feelings of Gascoigne. Captain
Wilson was satisfied with the manner in which he had executed his
orders, and asked him, "whether he preferred staying in the Harpy, or
following him into the Aurora."

Jack hesitated. "Speak frankly, Mr Easy; if you prefer Captain
Sawbridge to me, I shall not be affronted."

"No, sir," replied Easy, "I do not prefer Captain Sawbridge to you;
you have both been equally kind to me, but I prefer you. But the fact
is, sir, that I do not much like to part with Gascoigne or--"

"Or who?" said the captain, smiling.

"With Mesty, sir; you may think me very foolish, but I should not be
alive at this moment, if it had not been for him."

"I do not consider gratitude to be foolish, Mr Easy," replied Captain
Wilson. "Mr Gascoigne I intend to take with me, if he chooses to
come, as I have a great respect for his father, and no fault to find
with him, that is, generally speaking; but as for Mesty--why he is a
good man, and as you have behaved yourself very well, perhaps I may
think of it."

The next day Mesty was included among the boat's crew taken with him
by Captain Wilson, according to the regulations of the service, and
appointed to the same situation under the master at arms of the
Aurora. Gascoigne and our hero were also discharged into the frigate.

As our hero never has shown any remarkable predilection for duty, the
reader will not be surprised at his requesting from Captain Wilson a
few days on shore, previous to his going on board of the Aurora.
Captain Wilson allowed the same licence to Gascoigne, as they had both
been cooped up for some time on board of a transport. Our hero took up
his quarters at the only respectable hotel in the town, and whenever
he could meet an officer of the Aurora, he very politely begged the
pleasure of his company to dinner. Jack's reputation had gone before
him, and the midshipmen drank his wine and swore he was a trump. Not
that Jack was to be deceived, but, upon the principles of equality, he
argued that it was the duty of those who could afford dinners to give
them to those who could not. This was a sad error on Jack's part; but
he had not yet learnt the value of money; he was such a fool as to
think that the only real use of it was to make other people happy. It
must, however, be offered in his extenuation that he was a midshipman
and a philosopher, and not yet eighteen.

At last Jack had remained so long on shore, keeping open house, and
the first lieutenant of the Aurora found the officers so much more
anxious for leave, now that they were at little or no expense, that he
sent him a very polite message, requesting the pleasure of his company
on board that evening. Jack returned an equally polite answer,
informing the first lieutenant that not being aware that he wished to
see him, he had promised to accompany some friends to a masquerade
that night, but that he would not fail to pay his respects to him the
next day. The first lieutenant admitted the excuse, and our hero,
after having entertained half-a-dozen of the Auroras, for the Harpy
had sailed two days before, dressed himself for the masquerade, which
was held in a church about two miles and a half from Mahon.