Things worked as I wished; the midshipmen persisted in behaving ill—­remonstrated, and declared that the first lieutenant did not tell the truth.  For a time, many of them lost the favour of the captain, but I encouraged them to bear that, as well as the increased rancour of “Old Nosey.”  One day two midshipmen, by previous agreement, began to fight on the lee gangway.  In those days, that was crime enough almost to have hanged them; they were sent to the mast-head for three hours, and when they came down applied to me for advice.  “Go,” said I, “and complain.  If the first lieutenant says you were fighting, tell the captain you were only showing how the first lieutenant pummelled the men last night when they were hoisting the topsails, and the way he cut the marine’s head, when he knocked him down the hatchway.”  All this was fairly done—­the midshipmen received a reprimand, but the captain began to think there might be some cause for these continued complaints, which daily increased both in weight and number.

At last we were enabled to give the coup de grace.  A wretched boy in the ship, whose dirty habits often brought him to the gun, was so hardened that he laughed at all the stripes of the boatswain’s cat inflicted on him by the first lieutenant.  “I will make him feel,” said the enraged officer; so ordering a bowl of brine to be brought to him, he sprinkled it on the lacerated flesh of the boy between every lash.  This inhuman act, so unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman, we all resented, and retiring to the gun-room in a body, gave three deep and heavy groans in chorus.  The effect was dismal; it was heard in the ward-room, and the first lieutenant sent down to desire we should be quiet; on which we immediately gave three more, which sent him in a rage to the quarter-deck, where we were all summoned, and the reason of the noise demanded.  I had, till then, kept myself in the background, content with being the primum mobile, without being seen.  I was always strict to my duty, and never had been complained of; my coming forward, therefore, on this occasion, produced a fine stage effect, and carried great weight.

I told the lieutenant we were groaning for the poor boy who had been pickled.  This increased his rage, and he ordered me up to the mast-head.  I refused to go until I had seen the captain, who at that moment made his appearance on deck.  I immediately referred to him, related the whole story, not omitting to mention the repeated acts of tyranny which the lieutenant had perpetrated on us all.  I saw in a moment that we had gained the day.  The captain had given the most positive orders that no one should be punished without his express permission.  This order the lieutenant had disobeyed, and that, added to his unpopular character, decided his fate.  The captain walked into his cabin, and the next day signified to the first lieutenant, that he must quit the ship on her arrival in port, or be tried by a court-martial:  this latter he knew he dared not stand.