ore
than duty rigidly required; consequently his communications with the
captain of the Caesar had usually been of a general nature, verbal orders
and criticisms being studiously avoided. This circumstance rendered the
commander-in-chief even a greater favourite than common with Stowel, who
had all his own way in his own ship, in consequence of the
rear-admiral's indifference to such matters.

"How do you do, Stowel?" called out Sir Gervaise, cordially. "I am
delighted to see you on your legs, and hope the old Roman is not much
the worse for this day's treatment"

"I thank you, Sir Gervaise, we are both afloat yet, though we have
passed through warm times. The ship is damaged, sir, as you may suppose;
and, although it stands so bravely, and looks so upright, that foremast
of ours is as good as a condemned spar. One thirty-two through the heart
of it, about ten feet from the deck, an eighteen in the hounds, and a
double-header sticking in one of the hoops! A spar cannot be counted for
much that has as many holes in it as those, sir!"

"Deal tenderly with it, my old friend, and spare the canvass; those
chaps at Plymouth will set all to rights, again, in a week. Hoops can be
had for asking, and as for holes in the heart, many a poor fellow has
had them, and lived through it all. You are a case in point; Mrs. Stowel
not having spared you in that way, I'll answer for it."

"Mrs. Stowel commands ashore, Sir Gervaise, and I command afloat; and in
that way, we keep a quiet ship and a quiet house, I thank you, sir; and
I endeavour to think of her at sea, as little as possible."

"Ay, that's the way with you doting husbands;--always ashamed of your
own lively sensibilities. But what has become of Bluewater?--Does he
know that we are alongside?"

Stowel looked round, cast his eyes up at the sails, and played with the
hilt of his sword. The rapid eye of the commander-in-chief detected this
embarrassment, and quick as thought he demanded what had happened.

"Why, Sir Gervaise, you know how it is with some admirals, who like to
be in every thing. I told our respected and beloved friend, that he had
nothing to do with boarding; that if either of us was to go, _I_ was the
proper man; but that we ought both to stick by the ship. He answered
something about lost honour and duty, and you know, sir, what legs he
has, when he wishes to use them! One might as well think of stopping a
deserter by a halloo; away he went, with the first