SES.

It is always a greater proof of courage to stand fire coolly than to
fire. Captain Reud, I must suppose, wished to try the degree of
intrepidity of his officers, by permitting the chase to give us several
weighty objections against any more advance of familiarity on our parts.
A quarter of a century ago there were some very strange notions
prevalent in the navy, among which none was more common, than that the
firing of the bow guns _materially_ checked the speed of the vessel.
The captain and the first-lieutenant both held this opinion. Thus we
continued to gain upon the corvette, and she, being emboldened by the
impunity with which she cannonaded us, fired the more rapidly and with
the greater precision, as our rent sails and ravelled running rigging
began to testify.

I was rather impatient at this apparent apathy on our parts. Mr Burn,
the gunner, seemed to more than participate in my feelings. Our two
bow-guns were very imposing-looking magnates. They would deliver a
message at three miles' distance, though it were no less than a missive
of eighteen pounds avoirdupois; and we were now barely within half that
distance. Mr Burn was particularly excellent at two things--a long
shot, and the long bow. In all the ships that I have sailed, I never
yet met with his equal at a cool, embellished, intrepid lie, or at the
accuracy of his ball practice. Baron Munchausen would have found no
mean rival in him at the former; and, were duels fought with eighteen
pounders, Lord Camelford would have been remarkably polite in the
company of our master of projectiles.

I was upon the point of writing that Mr Burn was _burning_ with ardour.
I see it written--it is something worse than a pun--therefore, _per
omnes modos et casus_--heretical and damnable--consequently I beg the
reader to consign it to the oblivion with which we cover our bad
actions, and read thus:--The gunner was burning with impatience to show
the captain what a valuable officer he commanded. The two guns had long
been ready, and, with the lanyard of the lock in his right hand, and the
rim of his glazed hat in his left, he was continually saying, "shall I
give her a shot now, Captain Reud?"

The answer was as provokingly tautologous as a member of parliament's
speech, who is in aid of the whipper-in, speaking against time. "Wait a
little, Mr Burn."

"Well, Mr Rattlin," said the fat doctor, blowing himself up to me, "so
you have been knighted--on th