which this announcement affords me to also thank you heartily for the
gallant way in which you have all stood by me, and for the way you have
behaved generally from the moment when it devolved upon me, through Mr
O'Flaherty's wounding and subsequent death, to assume the command of the
schooner. Our cruise together has been a short one, it is true, but it
has been long enough to enable me to become personally acquainted with
you individually, and to discover both your good and your bad qualities.
The latter, I am pleased to say, have been so few and so trifling that
they are not worth further mention, whilst the former have been so
conspicuous as to render me anxious for a continuance of the connection
between us. And this brings me to my final statement, which is that the
admiral has been pleased to announce his intention of commissioning that
fine schooner the _Dolphin_, yonder, and placing me in command. Now, my
lads, I daresay you guess pretty well at what further I have to say: the
_Dolphin_ is to proceed against the French privateers which are snapping
up so many of our westerly-bound merchantmen, so there will probably be
plenty of fighting for her to do, but there will also be plenty of
captures and recaptures, which mean plenty of prize-money for her crew.
And I am most anxious that that crew shall be a good one, as good in
every respect as the _Foam's_ crew has proved itself to be; in short, my
lads, I should like to have every one of you with me again. Think the
matter over, and those of you who are willing to try another cruise with
me, and to enter for the _Dolphin_, can let me know to-morrow when you
are paid off. That will do now, you may go to your duty." Instead of
turning-to at once, however, the men clustered together and began to
confer eagerly with each other, and with the boatswain, the gunner, and
the quarter-master; the result of the confabulation being that in less
than five minutes the entire crew, to a man, came forward and announced
their desire to enter for the _Dolphin_. This was eminently
satisfactory, for I now had at least the nucleus of a thoroughly good
crew.

On the following day the _Foam_ was paid off, as previously arranged,
whereupon all hands re-entered for the _Dolphin_, after which they were
granted forty-eight hours' leave.

This business being settled, I sought another interview with the
admiral, and told him of my success, at which he expressed himself
greatly please