ip, and when ready, they
took advantage of the time when Captain Oughton was every day employed
with the ship's reckoning, and the poulterer was at his dinner (viz,
from twelve to one), to fight a main. The cocks which were killed in
these combats were returned to the hen-coops, and supposed by the
poulterer, who very often had a glass of grog, to have quarrelled within
the bars.

"Steward," said Captain Oughton, "why the devil do you give us so many
fowls for dinner? the stock will never last out the voyage: two roast
fowls, two boiled fowls, curried fowl, and chicken pie! What can you be
thinking of?"

"I spoke to the poulterer on the subject, sir: he constantly brings me
down fowls, and he tells me that they kill each other fighting."

"Fighting! never heard of fowls fighting in a coop before. They must be
all game fowls."

"That they are, most of them," said Mr Petres; "I have often seen them
fighting when I have been on the poop."

"So have I," continued Ansell? "I have seen worse cocks in the pit."

"Well it's very odd; I never lost a cock this way in all my voyages.
Send the poulterer here; I must inquire about it."

"Yes, sir," replied the steward; and he quitted the cabin.

With the exception of the major, who knew nothing of the circumstances,
the officers thought it advisable to de-camp, that they might not be
present when the _denouement_ took place. The poulterer made his
appearance, was interrogated, and obliged in his own defence to
criminate the parties, corroborating his assertions by producing a pair
of spurs found upon a cock, which had been killed, and thrown behind the
coop in a hurry at the appearance of Captain Oughton on deck.

"I am sorry that my officers should have taken such a liberty," observed
the major, gravely.

"O never mind, major, only allow me to be even with them; I shouldn't
have minded if I had seen the fighting. I think you said that you would
like to exercise your men a little this afternoon?"

"I did; that is, if not inconvenient."

"Not in the least, major; the quarter-deck is at your service. I
presume you do not superintend yourself?"

"Yes, I generally do."

"Well, don't this time, but let all the officers; and then I shall be
able to play them a little trick that will make us all square."

Major Clavering consented. The officers were ordered up to drill their
men. Captain Majoribanks and Mr Irving had one party at the platoon
exercise.

"Third