BURIED ALlVIi. 167 



All our glasses were by this time levelled at the vessel, and 

 ever} one more puzzled than another what to make of this. 



" Who are you, sir? " again asked the Commodore. " Where 

 is Mr. Donovan, sir?'' 



Here Mr. Binnacle, a midshipman on board, hailed us through 

 his hand, but we could not hear him ; on which the man in the 

 hammock struck him, without any warning, across the pate with 

 bis trumpet. The midshipman and the rest of the crew, we 

 could see, now drew close together forward, and, from their 

 gestures, seemed to be preparing to make a rush upon the figure 

 who had hailed. 



Sir Oliver repeated his question — " Who are you, sir ? " 



" Who am I, did you say? That 's a good one," was the 

 answer. 



" Why, Sir Oliver," said I, " I believe that is Mr. Donovan 

 himself. Poor fellow, tie must have gone mad." 



" No doubt of it — it is so, sir," whistled Sprawl. 



Here the crew of the felucca, led by little Binnacle, made a 

 rush, and seized the Lieutenant, and having overpowered him, 

 they launched their little shallop, in which the midshipman, with 

 two men, instantly shoved off; but they had not paddled half-a- 

 dozen yards from the felucca's side, when the maniac, a most 

 powerful man, broke from the men that held him, knocked them 

 down, right and left, like so many nine-pins, and, seizing his 

 trabnco, pointed it at the skiff, while he sung out in a voice of 

 thunder — "Come back, Mr. Binnacle; comeback, you small 

 villain, or I will shoot you dead." 



The poor lad was cowed, and did as he was desired. 



"Lower away the jolly boat," cried the Commodore; but, 

 checking himself, he continued — " Gently, men — belay there — 

 keep all fast with the boat, Mr. Brail," — I had jumped aft to 

 execute the order — " We must humour the poor fellow, after all, 

 who is evidently not himself." 



I could hear a marine of the name of Lennox, who stood by, 

 whisper to his neighbour — " Ay, Sir Oliver, better fleech with a 

 madman than fecht with him." 



" Are you Mr. Donovan, pray ? " said the Commodore mildly, 

 but still speaking through the trumpet. 



" I WU8 that gentleman," was the startling answer. 



" Then come on board, man ; come on board," in a wheedling 

 tone. 



