you hear that, Mr Simple?" cried the captain.

"I regret to say that I did hear it, sir; I little thought that ever
such an expression would have been made use of on board of the
_Rattlesnake_." Then, fearing he would ask me the man's name, and to
pretend not to have recognised it, I said, "Who was that who made use of
that expression?" But no one answered; and it was so dark, that it was
impossible to distinguish the men.

"After such mutinous expressions," observed the captain, "I certainly
will not risk His Majesty's brig under my command, as I should have
wished to have done, even in her crippled state, by again engaging the
enemy. I can only regret that the officers appear as insolent as the
men."

"Perhaps, Captain Hawkins, you will state in what, and when, I have
proved myself insolent. I cannot accuse myself."

"I hope the expression was not applied to me, sir," said Thompson, the
master, touching his hat.

"Silence, gentlemen, if you please. Mr Simple, wear round the ship."

Whether the captain intended to attack the enemy or not, we could not
tell, but we were soon undeceived; for when we were round, he ordered
her to be kept away until the Dutch brig was on our lee quarter: then
ordering the master to shape his course for Yarmouth, he went down into
the cabin, and sent up word that I might pipe to supper and serve out
the spirits.

The rage and indignation of the men could not be withheld. After they
went down to supper they gave three heavy groans in concert; indeed,
during the whole of that night, the officers who kept the watches had
great difficulty in keeping the men from venting their feeling, in what
might be almost termed justifiable mutiny. As for myself, I could hardly
control my vexation. The brig was our certain prize; and this was
proved, for the next day she hauled down her colours immediately to a
much smaller man-of-war, which fell in with her, still lying in the same
crippled state; the captain and first lieutenant killed, and nearly
two-thirds of her ship's company either killed or wounded. Had we
attacked her, she would have hauled down her colours immediately, for it
was our last broadside which had killed the captain. As first
lieutenant, I should have received my promotion, which was now lost. I
cried for vexation when I thought of it as I lay in bed. That his
conduct was severely commented upon by the officers in the gun-room, as
well as by the whole ship's company, I hardly nee