e what was the matter, O'Brien was sitting
in the stern-sheets of the launch with the first lieutenant, and I
leaned over and told them.

"By the powers! I don't see why the captain's jacket will be at all
hurt by Mr Chucks putting it on," replied O'Brien; "unless, indeed, a
bullet were to go through it, and then it won't be any fault of Mr
Chucks."

"No," replied the first lieutenant; "and if one did, the captain might
keep the jacket, and swear that the bullet went round his body without
wounding him. He'll have a good yarn to spin. So put it on, Mr
Chucks; you'll make a good mark for the enemy."

"That I will stand the risk of with pleasure," observed the boatswain to
me, "for the sake of being considered a gentleman. So here's on with
it."

There was a general laugh when Mr Chucks pulled on the captain's
jacket, and sank down in the stern-sheets of the cutter, with great
complacency of countenance. One of the men in the boat that we were in
thought proper, however, to continue his laugh a little longer than Mr
Chucks considered necessary, who, leaning forward, thus addressed him:
"I say, Mr Webber, I beg leave to observe to you, in the most delicate
manner in the world--just to hint to you--that it is not the custom to
laugh at your superior officer. I mean just to insinuate, that you are
a damned impudent son of a sea cook; and if we both live and do well, I
will prove to you, that if I am to be laughed at in a boat with the
captain's jacket on, that I am not to be laughed at on board the frigate
with the boatswain's rattan in my fist; and so look out, my hearty, for
squalls, when you come on the forecastle; for I'll be damned if I don't
make you see more stars than God Almighty ever made, and cut more capers
than all the dancing masters in France. Mark my words, you
burgoo-eating, pea-soup-swilling, trowsers-scrubbing son of a bitch!"

Mr Chucks, having at the end of this oration raised his voice above the
pitch required by the exigency of the service, was called to order by
the first lieutenant, and again sank back into the stern-sheets with all
the importance and authoritative show peculiarly appertaining to a pair
of epaulets.

We waited behind the rocks until noonday, without being discovered by
the enemy, so well were we concealed. We had already sent an officer,
who, carefully hiding himself by lying down on the rocks, had several
times reconnoitred the enemy. Boats were passing and repassing