s,
with his proffered bow, cheerfully submitted to; but he gained on the
whole by this apparent liberality, as the captain was rather inclined to
protect him in all other points of service, except those connected with
his own comforts and luxuries; and many a good job did Mr Culpepper get
done for him, by humbly requesting and obsequiously bowing.

We had been at sea for about a week, and were running down towards the
island of Madeira, which we expected to reach the next morning. Our
destination was a secret, as our captain sailed with sealed orders, to
be opened when off that island.

The weather was very fine and warm, and the wind had fallen, when at
sundown high land was reported from the mast-head, at about forty miles
distant. I was, as on the former cruise, signal midshipman, and did day
duty--that is, I went down with the sun, and kept no night watch.

I had been cogitating how I could play some trick to Mr Culpepper: the
midshipmen had often proposed that we should do so, but I had made up my
mind that, whenever I did, I would make no confidant. Tommy Dott often
suggested an idea, but I invariably refused, as a secret is only a
secret when it is known to one person: for that reason I never consulted
Bob Cross, because I knew that he would have persuaded me not to do so;
but after anything was happily executed, I then used to confide in him.

I observed before that Mr Culpepper wore a flaxen wig, and I felt sure,
from his penuriousness, that he was not likely to have more than one on
board. I, therefore, fixed upon his wig as the object of my vengeance,
and having made up my mind on the night that we made the island of
Madeira, I determined to put my project in execution.

For convenience, the first lieutenant had a small ladder which went down
through the skylight of the gun-room so that they could descend direct,
instead of going round by the after-hatchway, and entering by the
gun-room doors, where the sentry was placed.

I went to my hammock and slept till the middle watch was called; I then
got up and dressed myself without being perceived.

As soon as the lieutenant of the middle watch had been called by the
mate, who lighted his candle and left him to dress himself, I came up by
the after-ladder, and, watching an opportunity when the sentry at the
captain's cabin door had walked forward, I softly descended by the
skylight ladder into the gun-room.

The light in the cabin of the lieutenant, wh