ill, in which she bequeathed
to Commodore Trunnion one thousand pounds, to purchase a mourning
ring, which she hoped he would wear as a pledge of her friendship and
affection. Her brother, though he did not much relish this testimony
of her love, nevertheless that same evening gave an account of this
particular to Mr. Hatchway, who was also, as Mr. Pickle assured him,
generously remembered by the testatrix.

The lieutenant, fraught with this piece of intelligence, watched for
an opportunity; and as soon as he perceived the commodore's features
a little unbended from that ferocious contraction they had retained so
long, ventured to inform him that Pickle's sister lay at the point of
death, and that she had left him a thousand pounds in her will. This
piece of news overwhelmed him with confusion; and Mr. Hatchway, imputing
his silence to remorse, resolved to take advantage of that favourable
moment, and counselled him to go and visit the poor young woman, who
was dying for love of him. But his admonition happened to be somewhat
unseasonable. Trunnion no sooner heard him mention the cause of her
disorder, than his morosity recurring, he burst out into a violent fit
of cursing, and forthwith betook himself again to his hammock, where he
lay, uttering, in a low growling tone of voice, a repetition of oaths
and imprecations, for the space of four-and-twenty hours, without
ceasing. This was a delicious meal to the lieutenant, who, eager to
enhance the pleasure of the entertainment, and at the same the conduce
to the success of the cause he had espoused, invented a stratagem, the
execution of which had all the effect he could desire. He prevailed on
Pipes, who was devoted to his service, to get on the top of the chimney,
belonging to the commodore's chamber, at midnight, and lower down by
a rope a bunch of stinking whitings, which being performed, he put a
speaking-trumpet to his mouth, and hallooed down the vent, in a voice
like thunder, "Trunnion! Trunnion! turn out and be spliced, or he still
and be d--."

This dreadful note, the terror of which was increased by the silence and
darkness of the night, as well as the cello of the passage through which
it was conveyed, no sooner reached the ears of the astonished commodore,
than turning his eyes towards the place from whence this solemn address
seemed to proceed, he beheld a glittering object that vanished in an
instant. Just as his superstitious fear had improved the appariti