extricate myself; but, whatever might be the result to myself
of my imprudence, it had at least been the means of saving several men
from an undeserved flogging, and this reflection served somewhat to
comfort me. I was speedily joined by those of the midshipmen whose
watch below it then happened to be; and with them came a master's mate
named Farmer--a man of some thirty-five years of age, whose obscure
parentage and want of influential friends had kept him back from
promotion, and who in consequence of countless disappointments had grown
chronically morose and discontented. My fellow-mids were very
enthusiastic in their expressions of admiration for what they were
pleased to term "the pluck with which I had tackled the skipper;" and
equally profuse in the expression of their hopes and belief of a
successful issue of the adventure. Farmer, however, speedily put a
stopper upon their tongues by growling impatiently:

"Belay there with that jabbering, you youngsters; you don't know what
you are talking about. The fact is that Lascelles there has made a fool
of himself and an enemy of the skipper; and to do the latter, let me
tell you, is no joke, as he will probably discover to his cost. He has,
however, done a kindly thing; and perhaps, in the long run, he may have
no reason to regret it."

I was suspended from duty for the remainder of that day, until late in
the evening, when a marine made his appearance at the door of the berth,
with an intimation that he had orders to conduct me to the captain's
cabin; and in the custody of this man--who was armed with a drawn
bayonet--I was accordingly marched into the presence of the skipper. On
entering the cabin, I found Captain Pigot sitting over his wine, with
the first lieutenant seated on the opposite side of the table. When I
entered the apartment Mr Reid was leaning across the table, talking to
his superior in a low earnest tone of voice, but upon my entrance the
conversation abruptly ceased. The marine saluted, announced me as "The
prisoner, sir!" and then, facing automatically to the right, took up a
position just outside the cabin door. I approached until within a
respectful distance of the table, and then halted; the first lieutenant
rising as I did so and closing the door.

"Well, young gentleman," said the skipper when old David had resumed his
seat, "have you anything to say by way of excuse for or explanation of
your extraordinary and--and--insubordinate c