“Well, do ye see, messmates, we continued together in the same ship for the matter of five years, and then master Will and I shipped in another Indiaman, and we were in the ‘Birmingham’ for three years or more.  One day we lay off the Cape on the home passage, and a half dozen of us got shore leave for a few hours, and I among the rest, and somehow I got rather more grog aboard than I could stow, and when I came off, the captain swore at me like a pirate, and after I got sober triced me up to the main rigging for a round dozen.  When all hands were called to witness punishment, shiver my timbers, if master Will Ratlin, who was the first mate, didn’t walk boldly up to the captain, and say, blunt and honest: 

“’Captain Brace, Marline is an old and favorite seaman, and if you will let this offence pass without further punishment, I will answer for his future good behaviour, at all times.  I ask it, sir, as a personal favor.’

“‘But discipline, discipline must be observed, Mr. Ratlin.’

“‘I acknowledge he’s in fault, sir,’ said our mate.

“‘And deserves the punishment,’ said the captain.

“’I fear he does, sir; but yet I can’t bear to see a good seaman flogged, said the mate, apologetically.

“‘Nor I either,’ said the captain; ’but Bill Marline deserves the cat, though as you make it a personal matter, why I’ll let him off this time, Mr. Ratlin.’

“The captain didn’t wish to let me go, but he said he wished to gratify his mate, and so I was cast loose, and after a broadside of advice, and a hurricane of oaths, was turned over to duty again.  I didn’t forget that favor, messmates, and sink me if I wouldn’t go to the bottom to serve him any time.  He commanded a brig in the South American trade after that, and would have made a mate of me, hut somehow I’ve got a weakness for grog that isn’t very safe, and so he knows ’twont do.  You see him there now, messmates, as calm as a lady; but he’s awake when there’s need of it.  The man don’t live that can handle a ship better than he; and as for fighting, do ye see, messmates, we were running on this here same tack, just off the—­but avast upon that, I haven’t any more to say, messmates,” said the speaker, demurely.

Bill Marline evidently found himself treading upon dangerous ground, and wisely cut short his yarn, thereby creating a vast amount of curiosity among his messmates, but he sternly refused to speak further upon the subject.  Either his commander had prohibited him, or he found that by speaking he should in some way compromise the credit or honor of one upon whom he evidently looked as being little less than one of a superior order of beings to himself.

“But what do you bring up so sudden for?  Pay out, old fellow, there’s plenty of sea-room, and no land-sharks to fear,” said one of the group, encouragingly.

“Never you mind, messmates, there’s nothing like keeping a civil tongue in your head, especially being quiet about other people’s business,” added Bill.