here used to be."

He was mistaken; there was fun in me, but there was also prudence, and
from what I had latterly seen of Tommy Dott, I did not think he was to
be trusted.

The day after we anchored at Carlisle Bay, Tommy came to me and said,
"Old Culpepper serves out plums and suet this afternoon; I heard him
tell steward. Now, I think we may manage to get some--I never saw
better plums on board of a ship."

"Well," said I, "I like raisins as well as you do, Tommy--but what is
your plan?"

"Why, I've got my squirt: and old Culpepper never lights more than one
of his purser's dips (small candles) in the steward's room. I'll get
down in the cockpit in the dark, and squirt at the candle--the water
will put it out, and he'll send the steward for another light, and then
I'll try and get some."

It was not a bad plan, but still I refused to join in it, as it was only
the work of one person, and not two. I pointed that out to him and he
agreed with me, saying that he would do it himself.

When Mr Culpepper went down into the steward's room, Tommy
reconnoitred, and then came into the berth and filled his squirt.

Although I would not join him, I thought I might as well see what was
going on and therefore descended the cockpit ladder soon after Tommy,
keeping out of the way in the foremost part of the cockpit, where it was
quite dark.

Tommy directed his squirt very dexterously, hit the lighted wick of the
solitary candle, which fizzed, sputtered, and finally gave up the ghost.

"Bless me!" said Mr Culpepper, "what can that be?"

"A leak from the seams above I suppose," said the steward:

"I will go to the gallery for another light."

"Yes, yes, be quick," said Mr Culpepper, who remained in the steward's
room in the dark, until the return of the steward.

Tommy Dott then slipped in softly, and commenced filling all his pockets
with the raisins; he had nearly taken in his full cargo, when, somehow
or another, Mr Culpepper stepped forward from where he stood, and he
touched Tommy, whom he immediately seized crying out, "Thieves!
thieves!--call the sentry!--sentry, come here."

The sentry of the gun-room door went down the ladder as Mr Culpepper
dragged out Tommy, holding him fast by both hands.

"Take him, sentry--take him in charge. Call the master-at-arms--little
thief. Mr Dott! Hah--well, we'll see."

The consequence was, that Mr Tommy Dott was handed from the sentry to
the master-at-arms, and taken