idea
that I had damned them all in heaps, as some of them deserved--no, no,
not deserved. Did I really bless them--nothing but bless them?"

"Yes, sir," said Mesty, who perceived what Jack wanted; "it was nothing,
I assure you, but `God bless you, Captain Wilson!--Bless your heart, my
good men!--Bless the king!' and so on. You do noting but shower down
blessing and wet blanket."

"I told you so," said Jack.

"Well, Mr Easy, you've made me very happy," replied the chaplain; "I
was afraid it was otherwise."

So indeed it was, for the chaplain had sworn like a boatswain; but, as
Jack and Mesty had turned all his curses into blessings, the poor man
gave himself absolution, and shaking hands with Jack, hoped he would
come down into the gun-room and take a glass of grog; nor did he forget
Mesty, who received a good allowance at the gun-room door, to which Jack
gladly consented, as the rum in the middy's berth had all been exhausted
after the rainy morning--but Jack was interrupted in his third glass, by
somebody telling him the captain wanted to speak with Mr Hawkins and
with him.

Jack went up and found the captain on the quarter-deck with the
officers.

"Mr Easy," said Captain Wilson, "I have sent for you, Mr Hawkins, and
Mr Gascoigne, to thank you on the quarter-deck, for your exertions and
presence of mind on this trying occasion." Mr Hawkins made a bow.
Gascoigne said nothing, but he thought of having extra leave when they
arrived at Malta. Jack felt inclined to make a speech, and began
something about when there was danger that it levelled every one to an
equality even on board of a man-of-war.

"By no means, Mr Easy," replied Captain Wilson, "it does the very
contrary, for it proves which is the best man, and those who are the
best raise themselves at once above the rest."

Jack was very much inclined to argue the point, but he took the
compliment and held his tongue, which was the wisest thing he could have
done; so he made his bow, and was about to go down into the midshipmen's
berth when the frigate was pooped by a tremendous sea, which washed all
those who did not hold on down into the waist. Jack was among the
number, and naturally catching at the first object which touched him, he
caught hold of the chaplain by the leg, who commenced swearing most
terribly, but before he could finish the oath, the water, which had
burst into the cabin through the windows--for the dead-lights, in the
confusion, ha