I cared little who commanded or officered the Speedy, but I felt all the degradation of submitting to have my crew mustered by a foreign officer, and this, too, with the avowed object of carrying away such portions of them as he might see fit to decide were British subjects.  In my judgment it would have been much more creditable and much wiser for the young Hercules to have made an effort to use his club, in resisting such an offensive and unjustifiable assumption of power, than to be setting up doubtful claims to establish principles of public law that will render the exercise of some of the most useful of all international rights perfectly nugatory.  I felt a disposition to refuse compliance with Sennit’s request, and did the result only affect myself I think I should have done so; but, conscious that my men would be the sufferers, I thought it more prudent to comply.  Accordingly, all the Dawn’s people were ordered to muster near the quarter-deck.

While I endeavour to do justice to principles, I wish to do no injustice to Sennit.  To own the truth, this man picked out the Englishman and Irishman as soon as each had answered his first questions.  They were ordered to get their things ready to go on hoard the Speedy, and I was coolly directed to pay them any wages that might be due.  Marble was standing near when this command was given; and seeing disgust, most likely, in my countenance, he took on himself the office of replying: 

“You think accounts should be balanced, then, before these men quit the ship?” he asked, significantly.

“I do, sir; and it’s my duty to see it done.  I will thank you to attend to it at once,” returned the lieutenant.

“Well, sir, that being the case, we shall be receivers, instead of payers.  By looking at the shipping articles, you will see that each of these men received fifty dollars, or two months’ advance,” [seamen’s wages were as high, frequently, in that day, as twenty or thirty dollars;] “and quite half of the ‘dead-horse’ remains to be worked out.  We will, therefore, thank His Majesty to pay us the odd twenty-five dollars for each of the men.”

“What countryman are you?” demanded the lieutenant, with a menacing look.  “Cornish, by your impudence:  have a care, sir; I have carried off mates, before now, in my day.”

“I came from the land of tombstones, which is an advantage; as I know the road we all must travel, sooner or later.  My name is Marble, at your service; and there’s a hard natur’ under it, as you’ll find on trial.”

Just at this moment, the frigate’s boat came round her stern, carrying the Hon. Mr. Powlett, or the gentleman whom Sennit had announced as her first-lieutenant.  I thought the rising anger of the last was a little subdued by the appearance of his senior officers:  social position and private rank making even a greater difference between the two, than mere date of commission.  Sennit suppressed his wrath, therefore; though I make no doubt the resentment he felt at the contumelious manner of my mate, had no little influence on what subsequently occurred.  As things were, he waited, before he proceeded any further, for the Speedy’s boat to come alongside.