eir best; and for honest service,
faithfully performed, perpetual flogging seems to me but a poor reward.
The jail-birds among our own countrymen are the most difficult subjects
to deal with, and flogging only hardens them; if I had to deal with them
I should be far more disposed to look for a cure from the contempt and
raillery of their shipmates. Besides, the rogues are so cunning that
they frequently succeed in shifting the blame on to other shoulders; and
when one man gets punished for another's offences we know that the
tendency is to make him sullen and discontented. I could name at least
a dozen men who, from being bright smart, active, reliable men at the
commencement of the cruise, have degenerated into as many idle skulks,
solely because their good qualities have received no recognition, and
they have been punished over and over again for the faults of others.
And as to our leniency toward the men--"

"There, that will do, Mr Reid; the less said on that head the better,"
interrupted the skipper impatiently. "This discussion has gone far
enough," he continued, "and I must now request you all to withdraw. You
have--relieved your consciences, let us say, by entering this formal
protest and expressing your disapproval of my method of dealing with the
hands forward; now let the matter drop. And hark ye, one and all, if
there is any repetition of this impertinent interference with me, by the
Heaven above us I will clap the presumptuous individual who attempts it
in irons, and bring him to court-martial at the first convenient port we
reach. Now go, and be hanged to you!"

"Very well, sir," said old David, "we _will_ go; but, before we leave
your presence, permit me to observe that--"

I heard no more, for, perceiving that the interview was about to
somewhat abruptly terminate, I judged it best to effect an escape from
my place of concealment whilst escape was still possible, and I
forthwith proceeded hurriedly to do so. I managed to make my way back
to the quarter-deck without attracting attention, and had barely secured
my shoes and replaced them on my feet when the first lieutenant and his
companions emerged from the poop cabin and began to pace the quarter-
deck in apparently careless conversation, though I could tell, by the
gloomy expression of their countenances, that they were discussing an
anything but agreeable topic.

At length the westering sun approached the horizon; and Mr Douglas and
Mr Sout