, your Honour. I got out at the port by the cabin
bulkhead; and the after-guard are all as sound asleep as if they had the
watch below."

"It is well. What news bring you from the people?"

"Lord! your Honour may tell them to go to church, and the stoutest sea-dog
of them all wouldn't dare to say he had forgotten his prayers."

"You think them in a better temper than they were?"

"I know it, sir: Not but what the will to work mischief is to be found in
two or three of the men, but they dare not trust each other. Your Honour
has such winning ways with you, that one never knows when he is on safe
grounds in setting up to be master."

"Ay, this is ever the way with your disorganizers," muttered the Rover,
just loud enough to be heard by Wilder. "A little more honesty, than they
possess, is just wanted, in order that each may enjoy the faith of his
neighbour. And how did the fellows receive the lenity? Did I well? or must
the morning bring its punishment?"

"It is better as it stands, sir. The people know whose memory is good, and
they talk already of the danger of adding another reckoning to this they
feel certain you have not forgotten. There is the captain of the
forecastle, who is a little bitter, as usual, and the more so just now,
on account of the knock-down he got from the list of the black."

"Ay, he is ever troublesome; a settling day must come at last with the
rogue."

"It will be a small matter to expend him in boat-service sir; and the
ship's company will be all the better for his absence."

"Well, well; no more of him," interrupted the Rover, a little impatiently,
as if he liked not that his companion should look too deeply into the
policy of his government, so early in his initiation. "I will see to him.
If I mistake not, fellow, you over-acted your own part to-day, and were a
little too forward in leading on the trouble."

"I hope your Honour will remember that the crew had been piped to
mischief; besides, there could be no great harm in washing the powder off
a few marines."

"Ay, but you pressed the point after your officer had seen fit to
interfere. Be wary in future, lest you make the acting too true to nature,
and you get applauded in a manner quite as well performed."

The fellow promised caution and amendment; and then he was dismissed, with
his reward in gold, and with an injunction to be secret in his return. So
soon as the interview was ended, the Rover and Wilder resumed their walk;