cussing an ample supply of food
prepared for breakfast. They seemed a very free and easy set, and it
was no fault of theirs if I did not find myself at home; but I was far
too anxious to do justice to the good things placed before me, nor could
I keep my mind from dwelling on the sad work I believed then going
forward. I soon found that the object of the captain's visit to the
shore was no secret. He had been boasting the evening before of what he
had done in the duelling way, and congratulating himself on at length
being able to reap the revenge he had so long sought, swearing at the
time that he would shoot Captain Ceaton through the head, as he would
any man who dared to impugn his veracity. Was, then, his remark, that
he would only wing him, the result of some momentary compunction of
conscience, to be banished by the counsels of that Mephistopheles-like
major? I feared so. The midshipmen did not know that Captain Ceaton
was my relative, and though some seemed to feel for my anxiety, others
only laughed, and told me that I might as well begin to pipe my eye, for
by that time my cousin would have a hole drilled through him, I might
depend on it. They seemed, indeed, to be proud of their captain's
performances in that way, and anxious to imitate him. Two or three of
them boasted of having fought duels with midshipmen of other ships,
though, as they used not over sharp cutlasses, there had been no fatal
results. I was very glad that I did not belong to the ship, for a more
boastful, quarrelsome set of fellows I never fell among. The sort of
things Mr Johnson said in joke, they uttered in grave earnest, and they
were excessively angry if they were not believed. However, I managed to
keep my temper, and at last to eat some breakfast, in spite of my
anxiety about my cousin. As soon as I could, I returned on deck, where
I was joined by my former acquaintance. He begged that I would not mind
what had been said.

"You see," he observed, "the captain sets the fashion and the greater
number follow it. If we had had a different captain, these same fellows
would have had very different ideas."

I have often since then had occasion to make the remark, that, as a
rule, drinking, swearing, profligate captains turn out officers of the
same character. A brave, virtuous, and good commander cannot make all
those under him like himself; but his example will induce imitation
among some, and act as a curb to vice among oth