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Sennit brought on board with him, as a prize-crew, ten foremast men, besides a master's-mate, of the name of Diggens.
The prize had scarcely trimmed her sails and shaped her course, when Mr Bullock, the master's-mate, called our hero to him, and addressed him in the following elegant phraseology: You're not an officer yet and if you were, it would be all the same so no capers, no airs.
The error, however, was with those in the ship. The officer sent upon the heights was a shrewd, practised master's-mate, who knew everything about his profession that properly came within his line, and knew little else.
"Well, then, why not send a boat to tell us the fact?" "Had no orders, sir. Was told by Mr. Winchester just to signal the lugger and her bearings; and this, you must own, Captain Cuffe, we did plain enough. Besides, sir " "Well; besides what?" demanded the captain, observing that the master's-mate hesitated.
I immediately seized the opportunity to take a squint myself at the compass, noting the exact bearing of the point on the lee-bow and the direction in which the ship was heading. Then I went down below into the midshipmen's berth, where Maxwell, the master's-mate, was laboriously endeavouring to translate some French book with the aid of a grammar and a dictionary.
"Say when you wish to tack, Mr Percival," said the first luff, stationing himself alongside the master's-mate. "Not yet, sir," said Percival; "the wind is favouring us a little just now there it freshens a trifle, and she looks up better than ever. Keep her a good clean full, quarter-master, and let her go through the water.
The berth of a master's-mate in one of His Majesty's finest frigates is something to be proud of; I was once a master's-mate nay, Nelson has doubtless filled the same station. For that matter, one of His Majesty's own sons may have gone through the rank." "Aye, gone through it, as you say, sir," returned Clinch, with a husky voice.
His education and natural abilities were not, however, of that class to procure him either friends or advancement; and he remained in the capacity of master's-mate, and was likely long to continue so, unless some such event as a general action should include him in a promotion which would be regulated by seniority.
Now, there were but three of the Englishmen left in the ship, exclusively of the master's-mate himself, and the man at the wheel. This order, consequently, sent all three immediately into the forecastle. Marble coolly drew over the hatch, secured it, ordered the cook to keep a general look-out forward, and walking aft, as if nothing occurred, said in his quiet way
"You, who remained one quarter of a century a master's-mate during an active war, should rush up through the grades of lieutenant and commander to be posted during another quarter of profound peace! But, perhaps, you would have depended upon your great family interest. Well, if I make out your commission as my housekeeper, will you do the duties of the office?" "On course."
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