at may occur to prevent the men from working out their
time. But this is not business; I must bear a hand and finish my work,
or I shall get severely rapped over the knuckles."

Then, turning once more to the men, he ordered the carpenter to get his
things ready, and go into the boat.

"No," said George, by this time thoroughly exasperated, "_that_ I will
_not_ permit. This man is the ship's carpenter, and I forbid you, sir,
to impress him at your peril."

"You _forbid_, eh?" said the lieutenant, turning angrily upon George.
"Take care what you are saying, my fine fellow, or I may perhaps find
ways and means of impressing _you_ before you sail."

Then, suddenly realising that he had allowed his temper to outrun his
discretion, he added in a conciliatory tone--

"Well, since you say that this man is the carpenter, I will spare him;
but you should have explained that fact to me at first; and as to
impressing _you_, why, I daresay you know the old joke about impressing
a ship-master, and will understand I was only jesting; you are a capital
fellow, and have behaved very well over this business, so I will let you
off as easily as I can. But of course I must do my duty and take
another man or two from you; if I did not, some of the other ships would
be sending on board you and leaving you really short-handed."

With that he picked out with unerring eye the two able-seamen, and then,
turning to George with a great show of generous forbearance, announced
that he would leave him all the rest, though he could hardly reconcile
it to his conscience to _go away_ with only three men out of so strong
and smart a crew as that belonging to the _Aurora_.

Cross was by this time with his chest on deck; the other two impressed
men soon followed, and the disconsolate trio passed down the ship's side
in moody silence, unmoved alike by the commiserating looks of their late
shipmates or the jocular and more than half-ironical congratulations of
the man-o'-war's men in the boat upon their entry into so promising a
service as that of the British navy.

On the departure of the boat, George held a short consultation with Mr
Bowen, the result of which was a very wise determination to "grin and
bear it," rather than risk fresh annoyance by an effort--which he very
strongly suspected would be utterly useless--to obtain redress and the
restitution of his men. This determination come to, the carpenter was
summoned aft, and installed into t