[Illustration: “BLESS ME, HOW BALD YOU ARE!” “YES--I WAS PLUCKED AT COLLEGE.”] No. VI.--(_From the Same to the Same._) DEAR BROTHER, This is to say I made this place, namely Rumford, yesterday morning about 10 A.M., and immediately bore away to Socrates House, and asked for my nevy,--but you shall have it logged down all fair and square. [Illustration: “IN FOR A PENNY--IN FOR A POUND.”] Well, after a haul at the bell, and so forth, I was piloted into a room, on the ground tier, by the footman, and a pastryfaced son of a land cook he looked sure enough. Where, as soon as may be, Mrs. Doctor Darby joins company, a tight little body enough, all bobbing up and down with courtesys like the buoy at the Nore, and as oily tongued as any rat in the Greenland Docks. By her own account, she rated a step above Mother to six score of boys, big and little, and every man jack of them more made of, and set store by, than if they had been parts of her own live stock. All which flummery would go down with you, and the marines, mayhap, but not with old sailors like me. As for dear Bob, she buttered him of both sides, thick and threefold, as the best, sweetest, darlingest, and what not young gentleman of the whole kit, besides finding out a family likeness between him and his uncle, which if it’s any feature at all, is all my eye. Next she enquired after you, the worthiest parent she ever knew, not excepting her own father, whereby I blest my stars you were not within hail; or you would have been flabbergasted in no time, with your eyes running like scuppers, and your common senses on their beam ends. At long and last in comes my Nevy himself, as smooth and shining as a new copper; whereby says she, “I hope you will excuse untidiness, and so forth, because of sending for him just as he stood.” That’s how he came no doubt in his Sunday’s breeches; besides twigging the wet soap-suds in his ears. “Here my sweet love,” she sings out, “here’s your dear kind uncle so good as to come to enquire after your welfare.” So dear Bob, heaves ahead, and gets a kiss, not from me tho, and a liquorish lozenge for what she called his nasty hack. Nothing however but a colic with parched peas, as he owned to afterwards. “Now, then, Nevy,” says I, “what cheer--how do you like your berth?” when up jumps Madam like a scalded cat; and no or yes, I must drink the favour of a glass of Sherry Rank Cape, John, as ever was shipped. Then Master Robert, bless him, must have a leetle glass too, but provided I approve, and a ration of sweet cake. Whereby says she, “Now I will leave you to your mutual confidences”--as looked all fair and above board enough, if I had not made out a foot near the door. And in the twinkling of a handspike in sails Dr. Darby himself, with as many scrapes to me as if I was Port Admiral; and as anxious about my old gout,--for I’ve got an easy shoe for a bunion--as if he’d been intimate with it in my great-grandfather’s time. Well, we