“By this time three other marines had joined us.
“‘Where’s your pass, to pass you through the country?’ asked the first man.
“‘I have no pass,’ I said; ‘I’m a free-born subject of this kingdom, and can travel this or any other high-road without carrying a pass at all.’
“The men looked at each other, and then at me. They could not comprehend the reason of my cool manner and unusual language. They had no idea of free-born subjects, nor of sailors travelling without passes.
“‘Then you have no papers?’ said the first man, who seemed to be the superior of the party.
“‘Why, as for that,’ I said, ‘I daresay I can show a kind of a small matter which will, perhaps, satisfy you for the present.’ Saying which, I took my protection from an old black pocket-book which I carried in my hat.
“‘Oh, if you have any written papers to show,’ he said, ‘you must go with us to our captain: I can’t read writing.’
“So much the better, I thought, and straightway displayed the document at length, knowing if it could do me no good, neither could it do me any harm. ‘Do you see that?’ I asked, pointing to the broad seal of the Admiralty, stamped with an anchor.
“‘Oh! be d—d,’ said the man; ‘you have been discharged from a man-of-war.’