and jumped
overboard, my name's not Binks!"

"All right, Mr. Binks; Banou is safe! Send a boat on board the
'Monongahela,' and report that the schooner 'Rosalie' has passed ahead,"
went back in a clear note.

It was some considerable time before Binks could believe that he had not
been hailed by David Jones himself, for he had seen nothing, being at
the time in the lower cabin reading his Bible, and writing his name,
"Binnacle Binks, Master of brig 'Martha Blunt,'" on the fly-leaf; and he
was only disturbed in this praiseworthy occupation by a heavy body
plunging overboard, and by one of the drowsy crew, who had, with his
comrades, been sleeping near, reporting that circumstance with his eyes
half shut.

Then young Binks took considerable more time to get a boat lowered, and
send her, with the cabin-boy, to the large frigate close on his beam,
whose bell had just struck seven.

The boat, too, with four sleepy hands to pull her, took considerable
time to find the ship, and then the whistles were piping to dinner, and
all the good people from the brig, with the flag-officers, had retired
to the commodore's cabin for luncheon.

When Jacob Blunt heard the news, regardless of sherry and cold tongue,
he himself got in his boat, leaving his passengers in an excited frame
of mind, but rather comfortable on the whole, and returned to the teak
bosom of his "Martha."

There he took young Binks firmly by the shoulder, and walked him aft to
the rail where his father--long since dead and murdered--had been used
to sit and sing sailor ditties.

Then he impressively told him that "this 'ere sort of thing wouldn't do!
even if he was a readin' the Bible, which was all very good on occasion,
sich as clear weather out on the broad Atlantic; but in fog times, when
schooners was creepin' about in among the Antilles, and partick'larly
off Jamaiky or the south side of Cuby, mates and men should be wide
awake and lookin' every wheres. And harkee, Binnacle! when you commands
this 'ere old brig, or maybe a bran-new 'Martha Blunt,' and me and my
old woman lying below together in narrow cabins, you must bear in mind
these my words! Well, my boy, don't rub that 'ere sleeve over your eyes
no more, and it will be all right."

Young Binks promised "that from that 'ere minnit he would never sit on
no rails, or sip no grog, or even read his old mother's Bible when he
wos on watch, but always be as keerful as if there wos no lady
passengers or