nd, at another rolling, before a favouring gale: and, to
judge from her rapid motion, she was not in such very bad trim as
Captain Carrington had found out. Each day rapidly brought her nearer
to their cherished home, as "she walked the waters like a thing of
life." I can conceive no prouder situation in this world than being
captain of a fine frigate, with a well-disciplined crew; but damn your
_eight-and-twenties_!

"We had better take in the royals, if you please, sir," said the
first-lieutenant, as he came, with his hat in his hand, into the cabin,
where the captain was at dinner with several of the officers, the table
crowded with a variety of decanters and French green bottles.

"Pho! nonsense! Mr Nourse, we'll carry them a little longer," replied
the captain, who had been _carrying too much sail_ another way. "Sit
down and take a glass of wine with us. You always cry out before you're
hurt, Nourse."

"I thank you, sir," replied the first-lieutenant, seriously; "you will
excuse me: it is time to beat to quarters."

"Well, then, do so; I had no idea it was so late. Mr Forster, you
don't pass the bottle."

"I have taken enough, I thank you, sir."

The officers present also made the same statement.

"Well, then, if you won't, gentlemen--steward, let's have some coffee."

The coffee appeared and disappeared; and the officers made their bows
and quitted the cabin as the first-lieutenant entered it to report the
muster at quarters.

"All present and sober, sir. I am afraid, sir," continued he, "the
masts will be over the side, if we do not clew up the royals."

"Stop a moment, if you please, Mr Nourse, until I go up and judge for
myself," replied the captain, who was inclined to be pertinacious.

Captain Carrington went on deck. The men were still ranged round the
decks, at their quarters; more than one pair of eyes were raised aloft
to watch the masts, which were bending like coach-whips, and complaining
bitterly.

"Shall we beat a retreat, and pipe hands to shorten sail, sir? We had
better take in the third reefs, sir? it looks, very squally to-night,"
observed the first-lieutenant.

"Really, Mr Nourse, I don't exactly perceive the necessity--"

But at that moment the fore and main-top-gallant-masts went over the
side; and the look-out man at the fore-top-gallant-mast-head, who had
been called down by the first-lieutenant, but did not hear the
injunction, was hurled into the sea to leeward.