ngster to risk his life in a duel?"

They were all silent.

"Will you answer me, gentlemen?"

"With respect to the duel, sir," replied the midshipman who had fought
me, "I _heard_ say, that the pistols were only charged with powder. It
was a joke."

"Well, sir, we'll allow that the duel was only a joke (and I hope and
trust that your report is correct); is the reputation of your captain
only a joke, allow me to ask? I request to know who of you dared to
propagate such injurious slander?" (Here there was a dead pause.)
"Well, then, gentlemen, since you will not confess yourselves, I must
refer to my authority. Mr Simple, have the goodness to point out the
person on persons who gave you the information."

But I thought this would not be fair; and as they had all treated me
very kindly after the duel, I resolved not to tell; so I answered, "If
you please, sir, I consider that I told you all that in confidence."

"Confidence, sir!" replied the captain; "who ever heard of confidence
between a post-captain and a midshipman?"

"No, sir," replied I, "not between a post-captain and a midshipman but
between two gentlemen."

The captain bit his lip, and then turning to the midshipmen, said, "You
may thank Mr Simple, gentlemen, that I do not press this matter
further. I do believe that you were not serious when you calumniated
me; but recollect that what is said in joke is too often repeated in
earnest. I trust that Mr Simple's conduct will have its effect, and
that you will leave off practising upon him, who has saved you from a
very severe punishment."

When the midshipmen went down below they all shook hands with me, and
said, that I was a good fellow for not peaching: but, as for the advice
of the captain, that they should not practise upon me, as he termed it,
they forgot that, for they commenced again immediately, and never left
off until they found that I was not to be deceived any longer.

The postman came on board with the letters, and put his head into the
midshipmen's berth. I was very anxious to have one from home, but I was
disappointed. Some had letters and some had not. Those who had not,
declared that their parents were very undutiful, and that they would cut
them off with a shilling; and those who had letters, after they had read
them, offered them for sale to the others, usually at half price. I
could not imagine why they sold, or why the others bought them; but they
did do so; and one that w