eeward.

"I presume, Mr Simple," said the captain, turning to me, "that you
consider yourself justified in finding fault, and abusing your captain,
to an inferior officer, on His Majesty's quarter-deck."

"If you heard the previous conversation, sir," replied I, "you must be
aware that we were speaking generally about court-martials. I do not
imagine that I have been guilty of any impropriety in conversing with an
officer upon points connected with the service."

"You mean then to assert, sir, that the gunner did not refer to me when
he said the words, `spy captain.'"

"I acknowledge, sir, that as you were listening unperceived, the term
might appear to refer to you; but the gunner had no idea, at the time,
that you were listening. His observation was, that a spy captain would
always find spy followers. This I take to be a general observation; and
I am sorry that you think otherwise."

"Very well, Mr Simple," said Captain Hawkins--and he walked down the
companion ladder into his cabin.

"Now a'n't it odd, Mr Simple, that I should come with the intention of
being of service to you, and yet get you into such a scrape? However,
perhaps, it is all for the best; open war is preferable to watching in
the dark, and stabbing in the back. He never meant to have shown his
colours; but I hit him so hard that he forgot himself."

"I suspect that to be the case, Swinburne; But I think that you had
better not talk any more with me to-night."

"Wish I hadn't talked quite so much, as things have turned out," replied
Swinburne. "Good night, sir."

I reflected upon what had passed, and felt convinced that Swinburne was
right in saying that it was better this had occurred than otherwise. I
now knew the ground which I stood upon; and forewarned was being
forearmed.

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE.

WE ENCOUNTER A DUTCH BRIG OF WAR--CAPTAIN HAWKINS VERY CONTEMPLATIVE
NEAR THE CAPSTAN--HARD KNOCKS, AND NO THANKS FOR IT--WHO'S AFRAID?--MEN
WILL TALK--THE BRIG GOES ABOUT ON THE WRONG TACK.

At daylight the next morning we were off the Texel, and could see the
low sand-hills: but we had scarcely made them out, when the fog in the
offing cleared up, and we made a strange vessel. The hands were turned
up, and all sail made in chase. We made her out to be a brig of war;
and as she altered her course considerably, we had an idea that she was
an enemy. We made the private signal, which was unanswered, and we
cleared for action; the