One morning, as Joey happened to be in the counting-house by himself-- which was rather an unusual occurrence,--a midshipman came in. Joey remembered him very well, as he had been often there before. "Good morning, Mr O'Donahue," said the midshipman; "is Mr Small within?" "No, he is not; can I do anything for you?" "Yes, if you can tell me how I am to persuade Mr Small to advance me a little money upon my pay, you can do something for me." "I never heard of such an application before," replied Joey, smiling. "No, that I venture you did not, and it requires all the impudence of a midshipman to make such a one; but the fact is, Mr O'Donahue, I am a mate with 40 pounds a year, and upon that I have continued to assist my poor old mother up to the present. She now requires 10 pounds in consequence of illness, and I have not a farthing. I will repay it if I live, that is certain; but I have little hopes of obtaining it, and nothing but my affection for the old lady would induce me to risk the mortification of a refusal. It's true enough that `he who goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.'" "I fear it is; but I will so far assist you as to let you know what your only chance is. State your case to Mr Small as you have to me to-day, and then stand close to him while he answers; if he puts his knuckles into your ribs to enforce his arguments, don't shrink, and then wait the result without interrupting him." "Well, I'd do more than that for the old lady," replied the poor midshipman, as Mr Small made his appearance.