onsigned, without inquiry, to the
launch, though they had been absent only a few minutes, and were still
fit enough for work. The officer of the boat, however, happening to
be an iron-hearted disciplinarian, who overlooked nothing, and forgave
no one, would not permit the men to rejoin the working party, or to
touch a single cask; but when the boat returned to the ship, had the
three offenders put in irons.

When these circumstances were reported to the captain in the course of
the day, so much acrimony was imparted to his account by the officer,
that the captain merely said, "I shall be glad if you will defer
stating this matter more fully till to-morrow morning, after breakfast;
take the night to think of it." Tomorrow came, and the particulars
being again detailed, even more strongly and pointedly, by the
officer, the captain likewise became irritated, and under the
influence of feelings highly excited had almost ordered the men up for
immediate punishment. Acting, however, upon a rule which he had for
sometime laid down, never to chastise any one against whom he felt
particularly displeased without at least twenty-four hours' delay, he
desired the matter to stand over till the following morning.

In the meantime, the men in confinement, knowing that their offence
was a very slight one, laid their heads together, and contrived, by
the aid of the purser's steward, to pen a supplicatory epistle to the
captain. This document was conveyed to its destination by his servant,
a judicious fellow. Though it proved no easy matter to decipher the
hieroglyphics, it appeared evident that there were extenuating
circumstances which had not been brought forward. The only remark,
however, which the captain made was, that the letter ought not to have
been brought to him; and that his servant was quite out of order, in
being accessory to any proceeding so irregular.

The steward took the hint, and recommended the prisoners to appeal to
the complaining officer. Accordingly, next day, when the captain went
on deck, that person came up and said,--

"I have received a strange letter, sir, from these three fellows whom
I complained of yesterday; but what they say does not alter my opinion
in the least."

"It does mine, however," observed the captain, after he had spelled
through it, as if for the first time.

"Indeed, sir!" exclaimed the other; adding, "I hope you won't let them
off."

"I tell you what it is," quietly remarked the