d patiently
for silence; and, when this was at length restored, he went to the piano
and sang to his own accompaniment Dibdin's "Tom Bowline." Lance
possessed a full deep rich bass voice of exceptionally fine quality; and
as the words of the song pealed through the room, a breathless silence
was maintained by his strange audience,--the silence of surprise and
delight. Many of the men knew the song; had sung it or heard it sung
hundreds of times on a ship's forecastle during the dog-watch; but not
one of them had probably ever heard it sung before by a man of refined
feeling, capable of expressing the full sentiment of the words, and it
now came upon them almost like a revelation. Sailors as a class are
proverbially fond of music, but very few of them ever have--or, perhaps
it would be more true to say, _give_ themselves--the opportunity to hear
anything of better quality than the trash sung in music-halls; and most,
if not all, of Lance's audience now therefore experienced for the first
time the refining power of really good music. Their enthusiastic
applause at the conclusion of the song was perfectly deafening. Captain
Staunton then stepped forward and sang in true seamanlike style "The Bay
of Biscay," the chorus of which was given with great unction and
enjoyment by the whole audience.

Rex Fortescue followed with "The Death of Nelson;" and then Bob gave in
excellent style a laughable recitation, which convulsed his audience,
even to the tickling of the sullen Ralli into a grim smile. Then Lance
sang again; and so the entertainment proceeded for a couple of hours, to
the unbounded gratification of all hands, when the pirates dispersed in
a perfectly quiet and orderly manner, after giving, at Johnson's call,
three cheers for their entertainers.

"Thank you, colonel! thank you heartily all of you!" said that
individual as our friends parted from him outside the capstan-house.
"You've given us a real treat to-night, and I guess all hands 'll feel
ever so much more friendly to you for it. Give 'em another dose or two
of the same sort of thing now and again, and I reckon they'll take care
you don't get ill-treated while I'm away."

"What about the arms and ammunition which I asked for to-day?" said
Lance.

"You leave that to me, general," replied Johnson. "I guess I'll find a
way to let you have 'em before I sail; I won't forget it; you trust me.
Good-night."

"Good-night," was the reply; and our friends tur