, occasionally desiring the
quarter-master at the conn to alter the course, regulating his own by
that of his disabled enemy.

"I'll speak to him, then," exclaimed Pearce, as the conference broke up,
and he went over to leeward to the captain.

"Captain M---, I have had the honour to serve under your command some
time, and I trust you will allow that I have never shown any want of
zeal in the discharge of my duty?"

"No, Mr Pearce," replied the captain, with a grave smile; "without
compliment, you never have."

"Then, sir, you will not be affronted at, or ascribe to unworthy
motives, a remark which I wish to make."

"Most certainly not; as I am persuaded that you will never make any
observation inconsistent with your duty, or infringing upon the rules of
the service."

"Then, sir, with all due submission to you, I do think, and it is the
opinion of the other officers as well, that our present employment,
under existing circumstances, is tempting, if not insulting, the
Almighty. Look at the sky, look at the raging sea, hear the wind, and
call to mind the effects of the lightning not one half-hour since. When
the Almighty appears in all his wrath, in all his tremendous majesty, is
it a time for us poor mortals to be at strife? What is our feeble
artillery, what is the roar of our cannon, compared to the withering and
consuming artillery of Heaven? Has he not told us so?--and do not the
ship's company, by their dispirited conduct since the vessel was struck,
acknowledge it? The officers all feel it, sir. Is it not
presumptuous,--with all due submission, sir, is it not wicked?"

"I respect your feelings as a Christian, and as a man," replied Captain
M---; "but I must differ with you. That the Almighty power appears, I
grant; and I feel, as you do, that God is great, and man weak and
impotent. But that this storm has been raised--that this thunder
rolls--that this lightning has blasted us, as a _warning_, I deny. The
causes emanate from the Almighty; but he leaves the effects to the
arrangements of Nature, which is governed by immutable laws. Had there
been no other vessel in sight, this lightning would still have struck
us; and this storm will not cease, even if we were to neglect what I
consider a duty to our country."

The master touched his hat, and made no answer. It was now about one
o'clock, and the horizon to leeward, clearing up a little, showed the
land upon the lee-beam.

"Land ho!" cried on