in Falkner did not recover, the admiral of the station ordered
the _Cynthia_ to put to sea under the command of the first lieutenant.
She cruised for some time in search of an enemy, but none was to be
found, and sickness breaking out on board, a good many of the men were
laid up in their hammocks. Meantime, young Lord Fitz Barry had become a
great favourite with his brother officers on board. Indeed, from his
youth he was somewhat of a pet among them. He was not a little made of
by the first lieutenant and the other officers, not so much because he
was a lord, but because he was a kind-hearted, generous little fellow.
He had, however, been imbued by his captain with very strict notions of
duty, and, young as he was, when sent away with a boat's crew he kept
them in as strict order as any of the older midshipmen could have done.
On one occasion when sent on shore to bring off wood and water from an
uninhabited part of the southern shore of Saint Domingo, some of his
boat's crew insisted on going up into the interior. His orders had been
not to allow them to go out of sight of the boat, and should any person
appear from the shore, immediately to shove off and return to the ship.
When, however, they were told by Fitz Barry to remain where they were,
they laughed at him, and began to move off into the country. He
instantly drew a pistol from his belt, and hastened after them,
threatening to shoot the nearest man if they did not instantly return.
Still they persevered, and according to his threat, the young lord fired
his pistol, and hit one of the mutineers in the arm, and immediately
drawing a second pistol, he threatened to treat another in the same way.
This brought the mutineers to reason, and turning round they sulkily
followed him towards the boat. Here the wounded man insisted on having
his revenge, and tried to persuade the rest of the boat's crew to throw
the young lord overboard. The two lads who had come on board from the
merchantman had been appointed to the boat, both of them by this time
being strong enough to pull an oar. They, however, instead of siding
with the rest of the crew, had remained in the boat, and declared that
if a hand was laid upon Lord Fitz Barry, they would denounce the rest to
their commander.

"And we will heave you youngsters overboard with him," exclaimed the
men, enraged at being thus opposed.

"At your peril," answered Charles Denham; "I am not one to be cowed by
your threats