FRED SPEAKS TO THE CAPTAIN. 321 



"But then," said I, "a man is foolish to permit 

 i * other to either curse or abuse him." 



" That's just my opinion. And I have an i 

 that we can make a homeward passage with t 

 fellow, without a hard word passing between u 

 I can do my duty, and I've seen you do yours, my 

 boy though you are a Yankee" added he crab- 

 bedly. " So let's go dowr and talk to captain 

 Joseph Smith.'" 



We immediately walked down toward the Pau- 

 line Hougb ton's consignee's house. There meeting 

 our cnptain, Fred, with a degree of candor which 

 must have been vastly annoying to that worthy, 

 proceeded to tell him that we had heard from his 

 last crew that he and his mate were a pair of great 

 scoundrels, and that his old tub (meaning the Pau- 

 line H.) was scarcely seaworthy ; but that as he 

 wanted hands, and we desired strongly to go to 

 London, we had concluded to go with him. 



" This lad," continued Fred, pointing to me, 

 " has sailed in the worst craft out of Port Louis, 

 and acquitted himself respectably. As for me 

 if you or your mate can teach me any part of my 

 duty, I'll give you leave to handspike me three 

 times a day. But we have neither of us been used 

 to cursing or blows. And I give you fair warn- 

 mg that we shall return both with interest. CivD 

 treatment will get a power of work out of us. 

 8ut when a man treats me uncivilly, he makes 

 nothing." 



This sounded to me a great deal like bravado, 

 21 



