l day long. The first time I ever
saw a man punished I felt sick at heart, and thought I should have
fallen on deck, but I recovered myself and looked out afterwards with
very little concern.

The frigate I found was bound on a six months' cruise in the Bay of
Biscay, not the quietest place in the world in the winter season. Mr
Merton was very soon made captain of the fore-top, and Charley and I
were stationed on the top with him. Owing to him, I believe, we avoided
being flogged, for he was always alive and brisk and kept us up to our
duty. After all, there's nothing like doing things briskly. There's no
pleasure in being slow and sluggish about doing a thing, and a great
waste of time. Mr Merton soon attracted the notice of the officers,
and they used to address him very differently to the way they spoke to
the other men. There was in the top with us a young midshipman: he was
a fine little lad--full of life, and fun, and daring. He was the son or
heir of some great lord or other, and a relation of the captain's, who
had promised especially to look after him. Well, one day the ship was
running before the wind with studden sails set alow and aloft and every
sail drawing, so that she was going not less than eight or ten knots,
when this youngster, with two or three others, was skylarking aloft. He
had gone out on the fore-topsail yard-arm, when somehow or other he lost
his hold and down he fell. Fortunately, he struck the belly of the
lower studden sail, which broke his fall and sent him clear of the ship
into the sea. Just at that moment Mr Merton was coming up into the
top. He saw the accident. Almost before the sentry at the gangway
could cry out, "A man overboard!" he was in the water striking out to
catch hold of the youngster, who couldn't swim a stroke. At that moment
the captain came on deck. He was in a great state of agitation when he
heard who it was who had fallen overboard. Studden sail-sheets were let
fly. No one minded the spars, though they were all cracking away; the
helm was put down, the yards were braced sharp up, and the ship was
brought close on a wind.

Meantime Mr Merton was striking out towards where young Mr Bouverie
had gone down. All eyes were directed to the spot. "Now he sees him.
He strikes out with all his might to catch him before the youngster
sinks again. He has him--he has him, hurra!" Such were the cries
uttered on every side, for the youngster was a favourite