rm for courage screwed up by drinking freely.) "And I most
respectfully beg leave to observe, that the men have not had their
afternoon's allowance; and, after the fatigues they have undergone,
really require it."

"I command this ship, sir," replied he.

"Certainly, sir, I am aware of it," rejoined I. "She is now all ready
for action again, and I wait your orders. The enemy is two miles on the
lee quarter."

The surgeon here came up with his report.

"Good heavens!" said the captain, "forty-seven men killed and wounded;
Mr Webster dangerously. Why, the brig is crippled. We can do no
more--positively, we can do no more."

"_We can take that brig, anyhow_," cried one of the seamen, from a dozen
of the men who were to leeward, expecting orders to renew the attack.

"What man was that?" cried the captain.

No one answered.

"By God! this ship is in a state of mutiny, Mr Simple."

"Will _soon_ be, I think," said a voice from the crowd, which I knew
very well; but the captain, having been but a short time with us, did
not know it.

"Do you hear that, Mr Simple?" cried the captain.

"I regret to say that I did hear it, sir; I little thought that ever
such an expression would have been make use of on board of the
_Rattlesnake_." Then fearing he would ask me the man's name, and to
pretend not to have recognised it, I said, "Who was that who made use of
that expression?" But no one answered; and it was so dark that it was
impossible to distinguish the men.

"After such mutinous expressions," observed the captain, "I certainly
will not risk His Majesty's brig under my command, as I should have
wished to have done, even in her crippled state, by again engaging the
enemy. I can only regret that the officers appear as insolent as the
men."

"Perhaps, Captain Hawkins, you will state in what, and when, I have
proved myself insolent. I cannot accuse myself."

"I hope the expression was not applied to me, sir," said Thompson, the
master, touching his hat.

"Silence, gentlemen, if you please. Mr Simple, wear round the ship."
Whether the captain intended to attack the enemy or not, we could not
tell, but we were soon undeceived; for when we were round, he ordered
her to be kept away, until the Dutch brig was on our lee quarter: then
ordering the master to shape his course for Yarmouth, he went down into
the cabin, and sent up word that I might pipe to supper, and serve out
the spirits.

The rage and indignat