wdle, startled by this terrific sound, sprung out of
bed, and stood upright on the floor, before he opened his eyes upon the
object by which he had been so dreadfully alarmed. But when he beheld
the head of Crowe, so swelled and swathed, so livid, hideous, and grisly,
with a broadsword by his side, and a case of pistols in his girdle, he
believed it was the apparition of some murdered man; his hair bristled
up, his teeth chattered, and his knees knocked; he would have prayed, but
his tongue denied its office. Crowe seeing his perturbation, "Mayhap,
friend," said he, "you take me for a buccaneer; but I am no such person.
--My name is Captain Crowe.--I come not for your silver nor your gold,
your rigging nor your stowage; but hearing as how your friend intends to
bring my friend Sir Launcelot Greaves to action, d'ye see, I desire in
the way of friendship, that, while they are engaged, you and I, as their
seconds, may lie board and board for a few glasses to divert one another,
d'ye see." Dawdle hearing this request, began to retrieve his faculties,
and throwing himself into the attitude of Hamlet when the ghost appears,
exclaimed in theatrical accent,

Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
Art thou a spirit of grace, or goblin damn'd?

As he seemed to bend his eye on vacancy, the captain began to think that
he really saw something preternatural, and stared wildly round. Then
addressing himself to the terrified Dawdle, "D--n'd," said he, "for what
should I be d--n'd? If you are afeard of goblins, brother, put your
trust in the Lord, and he'll prove a sheet-anchor to you." The other
having by this time recollected himself perfectly, continued
notwithstanding to spout tragedy, and, in the words of Macbeth,
pronounced,

What man dare, I dare:
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear,
The arm'd rhinoceros, or Hyrcanian tiger;
Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble.

"'Ware names, Jack," cried the impatient mariner, "if so be as how you'll
bear a hand and rig yourself, and take a short trip with me into the
offing, we'll overhaul this here affair in the turning of a capstan."

At this juncture they were joined by Mr. Sycamore in his night-gown and
slippers. Disturbed by Crowe's first salute, he sprung up, and now
expressed no small astonishment at first sight of the novice's
countenance. After having gazed alternately at him and Dawdle, "Who have
we