lways in disgrace,
sneered at me, and said, "Peter reads the Bible, and knows that if you
smite one cheek, he must offer the other. Now, I'll answer for it, if I
pull his right ear, he will offer me his left." So saying, he lugged me
by the ear, upon which I knocked him down for his trouble. The berth
was then cleared away for a fight, and in a quarter of an hour my
opponent gave in; but I suffered a little, and had a very black eye. I
had hardly time to wash myself and change my shirt, which was bloody,
when I was summoned on the quarter-deck. I arrived, I found Mr Falcon
walking up and down. He looked very hard at me, but did not ask me any
questions as to the cause of my unusual appearance.

"Mr Simple," said he, "I sent for you to beg your pardon for my
behaviour to you last night, which was not only very hasty but very
unjust. I find that you were not to blame for the loss of the men."

I felt very sorry for him when I heard him speak so handsomely; and to
make his mind more easy, I told him that although I certainly was not to
blame for the loss of those two men, still I had done wrong in
permitting Hickman to leave the boat; and that had not the sergeant
picked him up, I should have come off without him, and therefore I _did_
deserve the punishment which I had received.

"Mr Simple," replied Mr Falcon, "I respect you, and admire your
feelings: still I was to blame, and it is my duty to apologise. Now go
down below I would have requested the pleasure of your company to
dinner, but I perceive that something else has occurred, which, under
any other circumstances, I would have inquired into, but at present I
shall not."

I touched my hat and went below. In the meantime O'Brien had been made
acquainted with the occasion of the quarrel, which he did not fail to
explain to Mr Falcon, who, O'Brien declared, "was not the least bit in
the world angry with me for what had occurred." Indeed, after that, Mr
Falcon always treated me with the greatest kindness, and employed me on
every duty which he considered of consequence. He was a sincere friend;
for he did not allow me to neglect my duty, but, at the same time,
treated me with consideration and confidence.

The marine officer came on board very angry at being left behind, and
talked about a court-martial on me for disrespect, and neglect of stores
intrusted to my charge; but O'Brien told me not to mind him or what he
said, "It's my opinion, Peter, that the