“I am very glad to hear of the dollars,” said I.

“What odds does that make to you?” said the captain; “it won’t be much on ’em as’ll come to your share.”

“More than you may think,” said I.  “Have you heard the news as you came along?”

At the word “news,” the poor man’s face became the colour of one in the jaundice.  “What news?” said he, in a state of trepidation that hardly admitted of utterance.

“Why, only that your president, Mr Madison, has thought fit to declare war against England.”

“You’re only a joking?” said the captain.

“I give you my word of honour I am serious,” said I; “and your vessel is a prize to his Britannic majesty’s ship, the ——.”

The poor man fetched a sigh from the waistband of his trowsers.  “I am a ruined man,” said he.  “I only wish I’d known a little sooner of the war you talk about:  I’ve got two nice little guns there forward; you shouldn’t a had me so easily.”

I smiled at his idea of resistance against a fast-sailing frigate of fifty guns; but left him in the full enjoyment of his conceit, and changing the subject, asked if he had any thing he could give us to drink, for the weather was very warm.

“No, I ha’n’t,” he replied, peevishly; “and if I had—­”

“Come, come, my good fellow,” said I, “you forget you are a prize; civility is a cheap article, and may bring you a quick return.”

“That’s true,” said Jonathan, who was touched on the nicest point—­self; “that’s true, you are only a doing your duty.  Here, boy, fetch up that ere demi John of Madeira, and for aught I know, the young officer might like a drop o’ long cork; bring us some tumblers, and one o’ they claret bottles out o’ the starboard after locker.”

The boy obeyed—­and the articles quickly appeared.  While this dialogue was going on, the frigate was in chase, firing guns, and bringing-to the different vessels as she passed them, dropping a boat on board of one, and making sail after another.  We stood after her with all the sail we could conveniently carry.

“Pray,” said the captain, “might I offer you a bit of something to eat?  I guess you ha’n’t dined yet, as it isn’t quite meridian.”

I thanked him, and accepted his offer:  he ran down instantly to the cabin, as if to prepare for my reception; but I rather thought he wished to place some articles out of my sight, and this proved to be the case, for he stole a bag of dollars out of the cargo.  In a short time, I was invited down.  A leg of cured pork, and a roasted fowl, were very acceptable to a midshipman at any time, but particularly so to me; and, when accompanied by a few glasses of the Madeira, the barometer of my spirits rose in proportion to the depression of his.

“Come, captain,” said I, filling a bumper of claret, “here’s to a long and bloody war.”

“D——­n the dog that won’t say amen to that,” said the master; “but where do you mean to carry me to?  I guess to Halifax.  Sha’n’t I have my clothes, and my own private venter?”