magant_.

He said that not only was that vessel in port at that time, but that the
same men were still aboard; that the captain--Dixon by name--was still
in command, and that the whale which had been seized from the crew of
the _Red Eric_ had been sold along with the rest of the cargo. He
related; moreover, how that he and his comrades had been very
ill-treated by Captain Dixon during the voyage, and that he (Captain D)
was, in the opinion of himself and his shipmates, the greatest
blackguard afloat, and had made them so miserable by his brutality and
tyranny, that they all hoped they might never meet with his like again--
not to mention the hopes and wishes of a very unfeeling nature which
they one and all expressed in regard to that captain's future career.
Besides all this, he stated that he (Dick Jones) had recognised Captain
Dunning when he landed that morning, and had followed him to the cottage
with the yellow face and the green door; after which he had taken a turn
of half-an-hour or so up and down the street to think what he ought to
do, and had at last resolved to tell all that he knew, and offer to
stand witness against his captain, which he was then and there prepared
to do, at that time or at any future period, wherever he (Captain
Dunning) liked, and whenever he pleased, and that there was an end of
the whole matter, and that was a fact.

Having unburdened his mind, and eaten all the ham, and eggs, and toast,
and drunk all the coffee, and asked for more and got it, Dick Jones
proceeded to make himself supremely happy by filling his pipe and
lighting it.

"I'll take him to law," said Captain Dunning firmly, smiting the table
with his fist.

"I know'd a feller," said Jones, "wot always said, w'en he heard a
feller say that, `You'll come for to wish that ye hadn't;' but I think
ye're right, cap'en; for it's a clear case, clear as daylight; an' we'll
all swear to a'most anything as'll go fur to prove it."

"But are you sure your messmates are as willing as you are to witness
against the captain?"

"Sure? In coorse I is--sartin sure. Didn't he lamp two on 'em with a
rope's-end once till they wos fit to bust, and all for nothin' but
skylarkin'? They'll all go in the same boat with me, 'cept perhaps the
cook, who is named Baldwin. He's a cross-grained critter, an'll stan'
by the cap'en through thick an thin, an' so will the carpenter--Box they
call him--he's dead agin us; but that's all."

"Then I'l