n in the rigging."

I made no remark, but Mr Fitzgerald soon afterwards lowered the oar,
and, without saying anything, quietly put on his breeches. We were soon
alongside; the boat was hoisted in, and a light breeze having sprung up,
which had long been seen coming, all sail was made in chase of a vessel
to the eastward.

Mr Fitzgerald then made his report.

"You seemed to be carrying some sail," observed the captain. "You had
but little wind, though, to make it of use."

"There was all the wind I could make," blurted out the lieutenant, who
had now got sober, and was as much ashamed of himself as it was in his
nature to be. "However, Captain Collyer, you know my zeal for the
service, and there isn't a thing I wouldn't do for its good."

"Even to make use of your breeches as a sail, and compelling your mouth
to do duty as _Molus_," said the captain, gravely. "However, Mr
Fitzgerald, though I never like making mountains of molehills, don't let
your zeal, or your love of a joke, carry you so far again. Discipline
would quickly vanish if the officers were to forget their dignity, as
you did just now. No officer should ever appear in public without his
breeches."

"I'll make a note of that, Captain Collyer, and take care that it never
again occurs," answered Mr Fitzgerald, with inimitable gravity, but
with an expression on his comical features which made our good-natured
skipper almost burst into a fit of laughter.

Two or three nights after this, while it was Mr Fitzgerald's watch, in
which I was placed, it being very dark, the frigate, without any
warning, was struck by a heavy squall, which threw her in an instant on
her beam ends. I thought that she was going down. There was a loud
crash--the fore-topmast had gone over the side. Lightning flashed from
the sky; the thunder roared. A loud clap was heard overhead--the
main-topsail had split, and, rent in fragments, was carried out of the
bolt-ropes, lashing itself in fury round the yard. All seemed
confusion. Everybody on the first crash had rushed on deck, mostly in
very scanty costume. The captain had slipped on his coat, which, with
his shirt and slippers, formed his costume. There he stood, his shirt
tails fluttering in the breeze, while with his deep-toned voice he was
bringing order out of seeming chaos. When the main-topsail went the
frigate righted. We had work enough to do to clear the wreck of the
fore-topmast and all its hamper, and it wa