ship's corporal caught Jack in the middle watch, and reports him to the
first lieutenant.

"'So, you've been fishing again, sir,' says Old Duty. 'No, sir,' replied
Jack, 'not fishing--only laying night lines.'

"'Oh! that's it,' replied the first lieutenant; 'only laying night
lines! Pray, what's the difference?'

"'Please, sir,' said Jack, touching his hat, 'the difference is--that
it's not the same thing.'

"'Well, sir, I see but one difference, and I'll meet it accordingly.
You've your duty to do, and I've got mine.'

"The boys' heads and ears having been pulled about and examined by the
master-at-arms, they were dismissed; and Jack thought that he had got
off--but he was mistaken.

"After the hammocks had been piped down, and it was dark, the boys were
ordered up by the master-at-arms; Jack was seized to the gun, and had
his two dozen. 'There, sir,' said Old Duty, as they cast the seizings
off, 'if fishing at night is not fishing, punishment at night is not
punishment. Now we're quits. You've your duty to do, and I've got
mine.'

"I don't think that Jack perceived any more difference in the two dozen
at night-time than the first lieutenant did between day and night
fishing; however, Jack did not fish for some time afterward. But it so
happened that the first lieutenant was asked on shore to dine with the
port-admiral; and, although he seldom left the ship, he could not refuse
such a compliment, and so he went. As soon as it was dark, Jack thought
his absence too good an opportunity not to have a fish; so he goes into
the mizzen-chains and drops his line. Well, he fished (but I don't know
whether he caught any) till the boat was hailed in which the first
lieutenant was coming on board, and then Jack thought it time to haul in
his line; but, just at that moment, there was a jerk; and Jack, who knew
that fish was at the bait, could not for the life of him pull up his
line--for, you see, he was a fisherman heart and soul; so Jack trusted
to Providence and the first lieutenant's going down below as soon as he
came on deck.

"Now, you see, the ship was lying at the time 'cross the tide, the wind
blowing against the current: the starboard side (being to leeward as to
the wind, but to windward as to the tide) had been cleared away, and
manned for the boat, and Jack made sure that the first lieutenant would
pull to that side; but he was mistaken. Whether it was that the first
lieutenant wished to have a look roun