contrary during the night, and that the frigate was close hauled,
darting through the smooth water with her royals set. At ten o'clock
the master proposed tacking the ship, and the first-lieutenant went down
to report his wish to the captain.

"Very well, Mr Nourse," replied the captain; "turn the hands up."

"Ay, ay, sir," replied the first-lieutenant, leaving the cabin.

"Call the boatswain, quarter-master--all hands 'bout ship."

"All hands 'bout ship," was now bellowed out by the boatswain, and
re-echoed by his mates at the several hatchways, with a due proportion
of whistling from their pipes.

"Tumble up, there--tumble up smartly, my lads."

In a minute every man was on deck, and at his station; many of them,
however, _tumbling down_ in their laudable hurry to _tumble up_.

"Silence there, fore and aft--every man to his station," cried the
first-lieutenant, through his speaking trumpet. "All ready, sir,"
reported the first-lieutenant to the captain, who had followed him on
deck. "Shall we put the helm down?"

"If you please, Mr Nourse."

"Down with the helm."

When the master reported it down, "The helm's a-lee," roared the
first-lieutenant.

But Captain Carrington, who thought light winds and smooth water a good
opportunity for practice, interrupted him as he was walking towards the
weather gangway: "Mr Nourse, Mr Nourse, if you please, I'll work the
ship."

"Very good, sir," replied the first-lieutenant, handing him the
speaking-trumpet. "Rise tacks and sheets, if you please, sir,"
continued the first-lieutenant (_sotto voce_), "the sails are lifting."

"Tacks and sheets!" cried the captain.

"Gather in on the lee main-tack, my lads," said the first-lieutenant,
going to the lee gangway to see the duty performed.

Now Captain Carrington did know that "mainsail haul" was the next word
of command; but as this order requires a degree of precision as to the
exact time at which it is given, he looked over his shoulder for the
first-lieutenant, who usually prompted him in this exigence. Not seeing
him there, he became disconcerted; and during the few seconds that he
cast his anxious eyes about the deck, to discover where the
first-lieutenant was, the ship had passed head to wind.

"Mainsail haul!" at last cried the captain; but it was too late; the
yards would not swing round; every thing went wrong; and the ship was
_in irons_.

"You hauled a little too late, sir," observed the first-lieute