NIGHTS IN THE GALLEY. 271 



came across, for we were all a d cl sight more frightened at the 



captain's eye than we were at the enemy's shot. He turned the 

 hands up in the evening, told us we had fought well, and spliced 

 the main-brace ; and in two days our damages were repaired. 

 The skipper told us he should go and look for the Belloon, and 

 that she should not escape from him again, if he .once got alongside ; 

 so we got underweigh, but never could meet her again. Howsom- 

 never, the skipper got promoted, and had some plate given him by 

 the marchants, owners of the ships he had saved; and soon after that 

 he was appointed to the Comus, and I went with him ; and I only wish 

 he could get a ship now, and I'll be d d if I wouldn't rather sail 

 with him nor any man in the sarvice." 



" So would I, so would I, that's the cove as I likes/' said half-a 

 dozen fellows. " Come, Jack, take up the cudgels ; at it again, keep 

 it up ; we've only got another hour." 



<e Pass the word for Jack Murray there, fore'd (forward)," sung 

 out the boatswain's-mate. 



" Here am I, lad," answered Jack ; " what's the matter now ?" 



" Away there aft, on the quarter-deck ; the first-leaftenant wants 

 you ; I've been singing out till my mouth is so dry I could drink a 

 pint o' rum. Will you give me your grog to-morrow, Jack ?" 



" Give you my grog !" said Jack ; " why, I thought you didn't like 

 grog.'' 



" No more I do, lad ; but I can drink it as well as those that do. 

 But, I say, the first-luff wants you away with you." 



" Ay ! ay ! wait till I come back, lads." 



" No, no," says Bob Short, " I'll spin you a bit o' a yarn till Jack 

 comes back." 



This offer was received with great satisfaction ; and Bob began : 

 " It was my father as told me the yarn ; I knows nothing about it 

 myself, no more nor he told me, 'cause you see as how I warn't born 

 when it happened ; but howsomnever it was when my father was cap- 

 tain o' the foretop on board o' the Hermione the golden Hermione, as 

 she was called, 'cause she always took such rich prizes. She was 

 fitted out at Plymouth, and my father entered there. The first leaf- 

 tenant told him he had no petty-officer's ratings to give him, and 

 offered him able seaman's, but, my father wouldn't take that ; and, 

 after a good deal of palaver, he made him captain of the fore-top. 

 They were a long time fitting out ; and after they were all ready, it 

 was a good while afore her orders came down from the Admiralty 

 to put to sea. At last they came, and away they went to cruise off 

 Cadiz. Tiresome work enough that cruising ! I hate it ; backing and 

 filling oft* the coast ; seeing the shore and all the good things, and 

 not being able to get so much as a glass of grog ; but, howsomnever, 

 there's no help for it, somebody must do it, you know. They were 

 rather comfortable though, on board this here ship, 'cause they had 

 plays on board, and all that sort o' fun ; and there was one feller, an old 

 fauksleman (forecastle-man), who amused them a good deal ; he used 

 to stutter so terribly when he spoke, that you couldn't understand a 

 word of what he said; but, when he sung, he didn't feel it, they 

 could all understand him well enough then, and a devilish good singer 



