t break me. I would give 500 pounds on my own account, to carry
that corvette to Spithead. And it would be the making of Scudamore, who
reminds me of his father more and more, every time I come across him."

The fleet under Captain Tugwell had quite lately fallen off from seven
to five, through the fierce patriotism of some younger members, and
their sanguine belief in bounty-money. Captain Zeb had presented them
with his experience in a long harangue--nearly fifty words long--and
they looked as if they were convinced by it. However, in the morning
they were gone, having mostly had tiffs with their sweethearts--which
are fervent incentives to patriotism--and they chartered themselves,
and their boats were numbered for the service of their Country. They had
done their work well, because they had none to do, except to draw small
wages, and they found themselves qualified now for more money, and came
home at the earliest chance of it.

Two guineas a day for each smack and four hands, were the terms
offered by the Admiral, whose hard-working conscience was twitched into
herring-bones by the strife between native land and native spot. "I have
had many tussles with uncertainty before," he told Dolly, going down
one evening, "but never such vexation of the mind as now. All our people
expect to get more for a day, than a month of fine fishing would bring
them; while the Government goes by the worst time they make, and expects
them to throw in their boats for nothing. 'The same as our breeches,'
Tugwell said to me; 'whenever we works, we throws in they, and we ought
to do the very same with our boats.' This makes it very hard for me."

But by doing his best, he got over the hardship, as people generally do.
He settled the daily wages as above, with a bonus of double that
amount for the day that saw the Blonde upon her legs again. Indignation
prevailed, or pretended to do so; but common-sense conquered, and all
set to work. Hawsers, and chains, and buoys, and all other needful gear
and tackle were provided by the Admiralty from the store-house built not
long ago for the Fencibles. And Zebedee Tugwell, by right of position,
and without a word said for it--because who could say a word against
it?--became the commander of the Rescue fleet, and drew double pay
naturally for himself and family.

"I does it," he said, "if you ask me why I does it, without any
intention of bettering myself, for the Lord hath placed me above need of
t