hall we send Easy or Gascoigne, or both,
or neither?--for if the bullocks are not forthcoming, the admiral will
not let them off as we do."

"We must send somebody, Wilson," replied Captain Sawbridge, "and it is
the custom to send two officers, as one receives the bullocks on board,
while the other attends to the embarkation."

"Well, then send both, Sawbridge, but lecture them well first."

"I don't think they can get into any mischief there," replied Sawbridge;
"and it's such a hole that they will be glad to get away from it."

Easy and Gascoigne were summoned, listened very respectfully to all
Captain Sawbridge said, promised to conduct themselves with the utmost
propriety, received a letter to the vice-consul, and were sent with
their hammocks and chests in the cabin on board the _Eliza Ann_, brig,
of two hundred and sixteen tons, chartered by government--the master and
crew of which were all busy forward heaving up their anchors.

The master of the transport came aft to receive them: he was a short
red-haired young man, with hands as broad as the flappers of a turtle;
he was broad-faced, broad-shouldered, well-freckled, pug-nosed; but if
not very handsome he was remarkably good-humoured. As soon as the
chests and hammocks were on the deck, he told them that when he could
get the anchor up and make sail, he would give them some bottled porter.
Jack proposed that he should get the porter up, and they would drink it
while he got the anchor up, as it would save time.

"It may save time mayhap, but it won't save porter," replied the master;
"however, you shall have it."

He called the boy, ordered him to bring up the porter, and then went
forward. Jack made the boy bring up two chairs, put the porter on the
companion hatch, and he and Gascoigne sat down. The anchor was weighed,
and the transport ran out under her fore-topsail, as they were
light-handed, and had to secure the anchor. The transport passed within
ten yards of the _Harpy_, and Captain Sawbridge, when he perceived the
two midshipmen taking it so very easy, sitting in their chairs with
their legs crossed, arms folded, and their porter before them, had a
very great mind to order the transport to heave-to, but he could spare
no other officer, so he walked away, saying to himself, "There'll be
another yarn for the Governor, or I'm mistaken."

As soon as sail was made on the transport, the master, whose name was
Hogg, came up to our hero, and asked hi