en
swore a great oath, and said he would put the mate in irons. "Confound
the lubber! he will be through the ship's bottom."

"But, stop a moment," said Mr. Hazel, "it is only fair you should also
hear how he accounts for his proceeding."

The captain listened attentively to the explanation, and altered his
tone. "Oh, that is a different matter," said he. "You need be under no
alarm, sir; the thundering lubber knows what he is about, at that work.
Why, he has been a ship's carpenter all his life. Him a seaman! If
anything ever happens to me, and Joe Wylie is set to navigate this ship,
then you may say your prayers. He isn't fit to sail a wash-tub across a
duck-pond. But I'll tell you what it is," added this worthy, with more
pomposity than neatness of articulation, "here's a respeckable passenger
brought me a report; do my duty to m' employers, and--take a look at the
well."

He accordingly chalked a plumb-line, and went and sounded the well.

There were eight inches of water. Hudson told him that was no more than
all ships contained from various causes: "In fact," said he, "our pumps
suck, and will not draw, at eight inches." Then suddenly grasping Mr.
Hazel's hand, he said, in tearful accents, "Don't you trouble your head
about Joe Wylie, or any such scum. I'm skipper of the _Proserpine,_ and a
man that does his duty to 'z employers. Mr. Hazel, sir, I'd come to my
last anchor in that well this moment, if my duty to m' employers required
it. D-- my eyes if I wouldn't lie down there this minute, and never move
to all eternity and a day after, if it was my duty to m' employers!"

"No doubt," said Hazel dryly. "But I think you can serve your employers
better in other parts of the ship." He then left him, with a piece of
advice; "to keep his eye upon that Wylie."

Mr. Hazel kept his own eye on Wylie so constantly, that at eleven o'clock
P.M. he saw that worthy go into the captain's cabin with a quart bottle
of rum.

The coast was clear; the temptation great. These men then were still
deceiving him with a feigned antagonism. He listened at the keyhole, not
without some compunction; which, however, became less and less as
fragments of the dialogue reached his ear.

For a long time the only speaker was Hudson, and his discourse ran upon
his own exploits at sea. But suddenly Wylie's voice broke in with an
unmistakable tone of superiority. "Belay all that chat, and listen to me.
It is time we settled something. I'll he