When all was ready, it appeared that Sennit was to be our prize-master.  Although a lieutenant in commission, he had only been lent to Lord Harry Dermond by the admiral, in order to fill up the crew of that favoured officer; the Speedy having her regular complement of lieutenants without him.  As the cruise was so nearly up, and the ship had experienced great success in impressing since she sailed, Sennit could be spared; and, if the truth were said, I make no doubt his mess-mates in the frigate were glad to be rid of him, now they had no further occasion for his peculiar skill and services.

Mr. Sennit brought on board with him, as a prize-crew, ten foremast men, besides a master’s-mate, of the name of Diggens.  Under ordinary circumstances, this last dignitary would have been of sufficient skill to take the ship in:  but this was the first prize Lord Harry had taken; she promised to be valuable if condemned; and I suppose he and his young, gentleman-like luffs were desirous of getting rid of their vulgar associate.  At any rate, Messrs. Sennit and Diggens both came on board us, bag and baggage.

The various changes, the lunch, and the chase of the morning, had so far worn away the day, that the two vessels did not make sail until four o’clock, P.M., when both ships filled at the same time; the Speedy on a wind, with two reefs in her top-sails, as when first seen, to play about for more prizes, and the Dawn under studding-sails, with the wind nearly over the taffrail.  When all was ready, each ship started away from the vacant point on the ocean, where they had been lying for hours, moving on diverging lines, at a rate that soon put a wide expanse of water between them.

I felt the circumstance of being left under the command of such a man as Sennit almost as sensibly as I felt the loss of my ship.  He and the mate established themselves in my cabin, within the first hour, in a way that would have brought about an explosion, had not policy forbade it, on my part.  Sennit even took possession of my state-room, in which he ordered his own cot to be swung, and from which he coolly directed my mattress to be removed.  As the lockers were under locks and keys, I permitted him to take possession without a remonstrance.  Diggens stowed his bedding in Marble’s berth, leaving my mate and myself to shift for ourselves.  At a suggestion from Marble, I affected great indignation at this treatment, directing Neb to clear away a place in the steerage, in which to live, and to swing hammocks there for Marble and myself.  This movement had some effect on Sennit, who was anxious to get at the small-stores; all of which were under good locks, and locks that he did not dare violate, under an order from the admiralty.  It was, therefore, of much importance to him to belong to my mess; and the necessity of doing something to appease my resentment became immediately apparent to him.  He made some apologies for his cavalier conduct, justifying what he had done on the score of