the service. Pray, Mr
Swinburne, why had not you your eyes about you, if Mr Simple was so
careless? How came you to allow these men to leave the boat?"

"The men were ordered up by the marine officer, to bring down your
stores, sir, and they gave the steward the slip. It was no fault of Mr
Simple's, nor of mine either. We laid off at the wharf for two hours
before we started, or we should have lost more; for what can a poor lad
do, when he has charge of drunken men who _will not_ obey orders?" And
the coxswain looked up at the mast-head, as much as to say, Why is he
sent there? "I'll take my oath, sir," continued Swinburne, "that Mr
Simple never put his foot out of the boat, from the time that he went
over the side until be came on board; and that no young gentleman could
have done his duty more strictly."

Mr Falcon looked very angry at first, at the coxswain speaking so
freely, but said nothing. He took one or two turns on the deck, and
then hailing the mast-head, desired me to come down. But I _could not_;
my limbs were so cramped with the wind blowing upon my wet clothes, that
I could not move. He bailed again; I heard him, but was not able to
answer. One of the top men then came up, and perceiving my condition,
hailed the deck, and said he believed I was dying for I could not move,
and that he dared not leave for fear I should fall. O'Brien, who had
been on deck all the while, jumped up the rigging, and was soon at the
cross-trees where I was. He sent the topman down into the top for a
sail-block and the studding-sail haulyards, made a whip, and lowered me
on deck. I was immediately put into my hammock; and the surgeon
ordering me some hot brandy-and-water, and plenty of blankets, in a few
hours I was quite restored.

O'Brien, who was at my bedside, said, "Never mind, Peter, and don't be
angry with Mr Falcon, for he is very sorry."

"I am not angry, O'Brien: for Mr Falcon has been too kind to me not to
make me forgive him for being once hasty."

The surgeon came to my hammock, gave me some more hot drink, desired me
to go to sleep, and I woke the next morning quite well.

When I came into the berth, my messmates asked me how I was, and many of
them railed against the tyranny of Mr Falcon; but I took his part,
saying, that he was hasty in this instance, perhaps, but that, generally
speaking he was an excellent and very just officer. Some agreed with
me, but others did not. One of them, who was a