ladder.

"Mr Easy," said Captain Wilson, "you must be aware that, by the
regulations of the service by which we are all equally bound, it is not
permitted that any officer shall take the law into his own hands. Now,
although I do not consider it necessary to make any remark as to your
calling the man a radical blackguard, for I consider his impertinent
intrusion of his opinions deserved it, still you have no right to attack
any man's character without grounds--and as that man is in an office of
trust, you were not at all warranted in asserting that he was a cheat.
Will you explain to me why you made use of such language?"

Now our hero had no proofs against the man; he had nothing to offer in
extenuation, until he recollected, all at once, the reason assigned by
the captain for the language used by Mr Sawbridge. Jack had the wit to
perceive that it would hit home, so he replied, very quietly and
respectfully:

"If you please, Captain Wilson, that was all zeal."

"Zeal, Mr Easy? I think it but a bad excuse. But pray, then, why did
you kick the man down the hatchway?--you must have known that that was
contrary to the rules of the service."

"Yes, sir," replied Jack demurely, "but that was all zeal too."

"Then allow me to say," replied Captain Wilson, biting his lips, "that I
think that your zeal has in this instance been very much misplaced, and
I trust you will not show so much again."

"And yet, sir," replied Jack, aware that he was giving the captain a
hard hit, and therefore looked proportionally humble, "we should do
nothing in the service without it--and I trust one day, as you told me,
to become a very zealous officer."

"I trust so too, Mr Easy," replied the captain. "There, you may go
now, and let me hear no more of kicking people down the hatchway. That
sort of zeal is misplaced."

"More than my foot was, at all events," muttered Jack, as he walked off.

Captain Wilson, as soon as our hero disappeared, laughed heartily, and
told Mr Sawbridge "he had ascribed his language to our hero as all
zeal. He has very cleverly given me it all back again; and really,
Sawbridge, as it proves how weak was my defence of you, you may gain
from this lesson."

Sawbridge thought so too--but both agreed that Jack's rights of man were
in considerable danger.

The day before the ship sailed, the Captain and Mr Asper dined with the
governor, and as there was little more to do, Mr Sawbridge, who had not
quitted