I soon accustomed myself to my new home. My Uncle George treated me with every consideration--a fact that ill-disposed persons would have attributed to the legacy left him under my father’s will. Though far from being in needy circumstances--receiving as Clerk of the Survey at the dockyard a salary of £50, paid with more or less irregularity--it was evident that his brother-in-law’s bounty did not come amiss. I have already given a description of my uncle. His wife, my father’s sister, was tall, sparely built, and somewhat inclined to verbosity. It did not take me long to ascertain that the pair were ill-assorted, and when on certain occasions their dispute waxed hot, my uncle was invariably driven from the house by the unrestrained reproaches of his spouse. They had but two children, Maurice, a lad a year older than myself, and Mercy, a child of nine years. I was soon on capital terms with both, though, boylike, I treated Mercy with that sort of contempt that most boys of my age show their female relations. I lost little time in telling my uncle the story of my adventures on the road, and, happening to mention the name of Middleton, he exclaimed: "Why, lad, you’ve made a good friend. ’Tis none other than Colonel Thomas Middleton, lately appointed commissioner of this dockyard, and he who rode with him is Admiral Montague, who comes to take the fleet to Holland." This, then, was the gallant Montague, a man who, under the Commonwealth, had earned renown when fighting with Blake the fleets of Holland and of Spain, and whose prompt action in co-operating with Monk and taking command of the fleet sent to fetch the king from Holland did much to earn the royal gratitude and favour. On the morrow following my arrival I, in company with my cousin Maurice, was taken by my uncle to the dockyard. Here all was activity and noise. Most of the fleet--amongst which were pointed out to me the _Yarmouth_, _Swiftsure_, _London_, and _Ruby_--lay at anchor at some distance from the wharves, while close alongside were the _Naseby_, her name being changed to the _Royal Charles_, and the _Montague_. There was but one dry dock, and in it lay the _Providence_; and on a slip, being nearly fit for launching, stood a large ship of seventy-six guns, her name having but recently been changed to the _Royal Oak_. While we were looking on with astonishment at this busy scene, a short, thick-set man, whose portly body was ill supported by a pair of bandy legs, came towards the place where we stood. He wore a blue uniform, with three-cornered hat, and carried at his side a sword that trailed behind him as he walked, and even threatened to become entangled between his legs. "Ha! Captain Duce of the _Lizard_! Stand aside, boys, while I have speech with him." The captain was in a rage. "A pretty pass! Here lie I ready to weigh and make sail, but ne’er a loaf of bread aboard!"