Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/202

 having been increased by the arrival of my father with Clara and Talbot, I was as happy as a human being could be. Six weeks was the period assigned by my fair one as the very shortest in which she could get rigged, bend new sails, and prepare for the long and sometimes tedious voyage of matrimony. I remonstrated at the unconscionable delay.

"Long as it may appear," she said, "it is much less time than you took to fit out your fine frigate for North America."

"That frigate was not got ready even then by any hurry of mine," said I; "and if ever I come to be first lord of the Admiralty, I shall have a bright eye on the young lieutenants and their sweethearts at Blackheath, particularly when a ship is fitting in a hurry at Woolwich."

Much of this kind of sparring went on, to the great amusement of all parties; meanwhile, the ladies employed themselves in running up milliners' bills, and their papas employed themselves in discharging them. My father was parti-