nd if he had
not been treated very badly, he would never attempt to act such a part."

"He's a sullen, ill-conditioned brute," said Boreas, "that's what he
is."

"I know enough of human nature, Captain Williams, to feel certain that
the treatment to which he has just been subjected, will never produce
any beneficial change in his character."

"Who cares a curse about him!" cried Boreas, waxing wrath. "He may go to
the devil for me! If he's dead, it's time the fishes had his ugly
carcase. Wright (this was his second mate), tell the carpenter to get
Monro's hammock, and sew him up, and throw him overboard."

A slight motion heaved the shirt about the breast of the unfortunate
lad.

"You see he is coming to himself," said Lyndsay. "My lad, how do you
feel now?"

The boy did not speak. The muscles of his mouth twitched convulsively,
and large tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Captain," said Lyndsay, "do you see no wrong in treating a
fellow-creature, and one, by your own account, born and brought up as
well as yourself, like a slave?"

"He's such a disobedient rascal, that he deserves nothing better."

"Did you ever try _kindness_?"

The lad opened his large, sunken, heavy eyes, and looked at his
protector with such a sad woe-begone expression, that it had the effect
of touching the heart of Mr. Collins.

"I'm afraid," said he, in an aside to Lyndsay, "that we have not acted
quite right in this matter. But he provokes one to anger by his
sullenness. When I was a prentice on board the _Ariadne_, I was not
treated a bit better; but I never behaved in that way."

"And did not the recollection of your own sufferings, Mr. Collins, plead
somewhat in behalf of this orphan boy? His temper, naturally proud, has
been soured by adverse circumstances, and driven to despair by blows and
abusive language. I think I may pledge myself, that if he is used
better, he will do his duty without giving you any further trouble."

"Get up, Benjie," said the Captain, "and go to your work. I will look
over your conduct on Mr. Lyndsay's account. But never let me see you act
in this mutinous manner again."

The boy rose from the deck, stammered out his thanks, and begging Mr.
Collins to forgive his foolish conduct, limped off.

The next day the lad was reported to the Captain as seriously ill, and
Mr. Collins, as he detailed his symptoms, said, "That he was sorry that
he had used such violence towards him the preceding day, as the poo