ave families, mothers, brothers, and sisters
on shore; and I assure you that I shall not regard it as a disgrace or
a stigma upon any man who does his duty as he understands it, without
regard to me or mine," the owner proceeded.

Still not a man moved, and all seemed to be more averse than before to
change their positions a particle; and possibly any one who was tempted
to do so expected to be hooted by his shipmates, if he took the
treacherous step.

"I sincerely hope that every man of you will be guided by his own sense
of duty, without regard to what others may think of his action. I will
not allow any man to suffer from any reproach or indignity on account
of what he does in this matter, if by any means I can prevent it,"
continued Captain Passford, looking over his audience again, to
discover, if he could, any evidence of faltering on the part of a
single one.

Still officers and men were as immovable as a group of statuary; and not
a face betrayed an expression indicating a desire to leave the vessel,
or to falter in what all regarded as the allegiance they owed to the
owner and his family.

"We will all go with you to the end of the world, or the end of the
war!" shouted the old sheet-anchor man, who was the spokesman of the
crew when they had any thing to say. "If any man offers to leave"--

"He shall go with my best wishes," interposed Captain Passford. "None of
that, Boxie; you have heard what I said, and I mean every word of it.
There shall be no persuasion or intimidation."

"Beg pardon, Captain Passford; but there isn't a man here that would go
to the mainmast if he knew that the forecastle would drop out from under
him, and let him down into Davy Jones's locker the next minute if he
staid here," responded Boxie, with a complaisant grin on his face, as
if he was entirely conscious that he knew what he was talking about.

"Every man must act on his own free will," added the owner.

"That's just what we are all doing, your honor; and every one of us
would rather go than have his wages doubled. If any dumper here has a
free will to go to the mainmast, he'd better put his head in soak,
and"--

"Avast heaving, Boxie!" interposed the owner, smiling in spite of
himself at the earnestness of the old sailor.

"I hain't got a word more to say, your honor; only"--

"Only nothing, Boxie! I see that not one of you is inclined to leave the
vessel, and I appreciate in the highest degree this devotion on your