, who had joined us just before we sailed, and
did duty as mate of the lower deck. "Look out, youngster, that you
don't get treated with greater indignity before long. I took the
skipper's measure the day I first set eyes on him. With all his mincing
manners and fine talk, depend upon it he'll prove a Tartar at bottom."

Besides Dicky, another youngster had come to sea for the first time, and
was related, it was supposed, to the captain. Alfred de Lisle was
somewhat older than Dicky Larcom, and a refined, nice fellow. I took a
great liking to him, though he had his faults. He was excessively
indignant when he heard how Dicky had been treated.

"It's a great shame. I wouldn't stand it," he exclaimed. "If he treats
me in the same way, I'll leave the ship and go home."

"Bravo, youngster," cried Grumpus, backing him up. "There'll be one
less in the service to be placed over my head one of these days, and so
I approve of your resolution; only just stick to it. When the captain
next orders you to do anything you don't like, just let it alone. Don't
say you won't, or you'll be guilty of mutiny."

De Lisle took what Grumpus said in downright earnest, though I didn't
fancy he would have done so, or I should have given him better counsel.

As the gale increased, the captain, as we heard, sent for the first
lieutenant, and said he should like to bear up for the Cove of Cork or
Plymouth Sound.

"There's just one objection to our doing that," observed old
Rough-and-Ready. "You see, my lord, they happen to be right away to
windward, and we can no more get there until the wind shifts, than we
can reach the moon. We'll heave the ship to, if your lordship pleases,
and she'll be so much nearer Portsmouth than if we run on as we're
doing."

"Oh, pray heave to; it is the best thing we can do under the
circumstances," answered his lordship.

The hands were accordingly turned up, and the ship brought to the wind
at the risk of carrying away some of our bulwarks and boats. We thus
rode, hove-to, for a couple of days, when, the gale moderating, we were
able to make sail, and steer for the Channel.

As soon as the weather was fine enough, old Rough-and-Ready, according
to promise, kept all hands exercising at the guns and shortening and
reefing sails for hours together. He was in no hurry to get into port
again, as he wanted before then to have a smart ship's company.

This evidently gave the captain great satisfactio