Jack on deck to his meditations.

"I am not sure," thought Jack, "that I have done a very wise thing.
Here I am with a parcel of fellows who have no respect for the articles
of war, and who get as drunk as David's sow. I have a large ship, but I
have very few hands; and if it comes on bad weather, what shall I do?--
for I know very little--hardly how to take in a sail. Then--as for
where to steer, or how to steer, I know not--nor do any of my men; but,
however, as it was very narrow when we came into the Mediterranean,
through the straits, it is hardly possible to get out of them without
perceiving it: besides, I should know the rock of Gibraltar again, if I
saw it. I must talk to Mesty."

Mesty soon returned with the keys of the provision-room tied to his
bandana.

"Now," says he, "they not get drunk again in a hurry."

A few more buckets of water soon brought the men to their senses: they
again stood on their legs, and gradually recovered themselves. Daylight
broke, and they found that the vessel had made an attempt for the
Spanish coast, being within a mile of the beach, and facing a large
battery _fleur d'eau_; fortunately they had time to square the yards,
and steer the ship along shore under the top-sails, before they were
perceived. Had they been seen at daylight in the position that they
were in during the night, the suspicions of the Spaniards would have
been awakened; and had a boat been sent off, while they were all drunk,
they must have been recaptured.

The men, who perceived what danger they had been in, listened very
penitently to Jack's remonstrances; and our hero, to impress them more
strongly on their minds, took out the articles of war, and read that on
drunkenness from beginning to end; but the men had heard it read so
often at the gangway, that it did not make a due impression. As Mesty
said, his plan was better, and so it proved; for as soon as Jack had
done, the men went down to get another jug of wine, and found, to their
disappointment, that it was all under lock and key.

In the meantime, Jack called Mesty aft, and asked him if he knew the way
to Toulon. Mesty declared that he knew nothing about it.

"Then, Mesty, it appears to me that we have a better chance of finding
our way back to Gibraltar; for you know the land was on our left side
all the way coming up the Mediterranean; and if we keep it, as it is
now, on our right, we shall get back again along the coast."

Mesty agre