I. "Captain Hawkins, I do not
think we can get her round, unless we wear--the wind is very light."

"Then wear ship, Mr Simple."

There are times when grumbling and discontent among the seamen is so
participated by the officer, although they do not show it, that the
expressions made use of are passed unheeded. Such was the case at
present. The officers looked at each other, and said nothing; but the
men were unguarded in their expressions. The brig wore gradually round;
and when the men were bracing up the yards, sharp on the other tack,
instead of the "Hurrah!" and "Down with the mark," they fell back with a
groan.

"Brace up those yards in silence there," said I to the men, which was
all I could say.

The ropes were coiled down, and we piped to dinner. The captain, who
continued on deck, could not fail to hear the discontented expressions
which occasionally were made use of on the lower deck. He made no
observation, but occasionally looked over the side, to see whether the
brig went through the water. This she did slowly for about ten minutes,
when it fell a perfect calm--so that, to use a common phrase, he gained
little by his motion. About half-past one, a slight breeze from the
opposite quarter sprung up--we turned round to it--it increased--the fog
blew away, and, in a quarter of an hour, the chase was again visible,
now upon our lee beam. The men gave three cheers.

"Silence there, fore and aft," cried the captain angrily. "Mr Simple,
is this the way that the ship's company have been disciplined under
their late commander, to halloo and bawl whenever they think proper?"

I was irritated at any reflection upon O'Brien, and I replied, "Yes sir;
they have been always accustomed to express their joy at the prospect of
engaging the enemy."

"Very well, Mr Simple," replied he.

"How are we to put her head?" inquired the master, touching his hat;
"for the chase?"

"Of course," replied the captain, who then descended into his cabin.

"Come, my lads," said Swinburne, as soon as the captain was below, "I
have been going round, and I fine that your _pets_ are all in good
fighting order. I promise ye, you sha'n't wait for powder. They'll
find that the _Rattlesnake_ can bite devilish hard yet, I expect."

"Ay, and without its _head_, too," replied one of the men, who was the
Joe Miller of the brig.

The chase, perceiving that she could not escape--for we were coming up
with her, hand over hand, now