"Pleasant! you simple Simon, when did you ever hear of physic being
pleasant, unless a man prescribe for himself? I suppose you'd be after
lollipops for the yellow fever. Live and larn, boy, and thank Heaven
that you've found somebody who loves you well enough to baste you when
it's good for your health."

I held my tongue and ate a very hearty breakfast. From that day I
returned to my duty, and was put into the same watch with O'Brien, who
spoke to the first lieutenant, and told him that he had taken me under
his charge.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

NEW THEORY OF MR. MUDDLE REMARKABLE FOR HAVING NO END TO IT--NOVEL
PRACTICE OF MR. CHUCKS--O'BRIEN COMMENCES HIS HISTORY--I BRING UP THE
MASTER'S NIGHT-GLASS.

As I have already mentioned sufficient of the captain and the first
lieutenant to enable the reader to gain an insight into their
characters, I shall now mention two very odd personages who were my
shipmates, the carpenter and the boatswain. The carpenter, whose name
was Muddle, used to go by the appellation of Philosopher Chips; not that
he followed any particular school, but had formed a theory of his own,
from which he was not to be dissuaded. This was, that the universe had
its cycle of events which turned round, so that in a certain period of
time everything was to happen over again. I never could make him
explain upon what data his calculations were founded; he said, that if
he explained it, I was too young to comprehend it; but the fact was
this, that "in 27,672 years everything that was going on now would be
going on again, with the same people as were existing at this present
time." He very seldom ventured to make the remark to Captain Savage,
but to the first lieutenant he did very often. "I've been as close to
it as possible, sir, I do assure you, although you find fault; but
27,672 years ago you were first lieutenant of this ship, and I was
carpenter, although we recollect nothing about it; and 27,672 years
hence we shall both be standing by this boat, talking about the repairs,
as we are now."

"I do not doubt it, Mr Muddle," replied the first lieutenant; "I dare
say that it is all very true, but the repairs must be finished this
night, and 27,672 years hence you will have the order just as positive
as you have it now, so let it be done."

But the boatswain was a more amusing personage. He was considered to be
the _taughtest_ (that is, the most active and severe) boatswain in the
service.