I was for ordering dinner forthwith. The Captain, for reasons best known to himself, wished an hour's delay. Reluctantly acceding, I retired to my private apartment, and commenced operations in the soap and dowlas line. Presently the Captain tapped at my door, and entered. Wanted me just to walk down with him to the water's side--wanted me particularly. Away we went. The Captain spoke little--seemed to have some project. At length he opened: "I rather think the skipper will catch a precious good hiding presently; serve him right." All this was Greek to me, though I had heard something of the skipper's bad conduct to the Major. We now, having descended by a side street as steep as a ladder, entered the main road, or broadway, which runs by the water's side. Who should meet us there, but the Major? He was evidently on the look-out for us, and joined forthwith. "Has the boat left the brig yet?" said Captain Gabion. "Not yet, I think," said the Major; "I saw her alongside, though. Come down to the water's edge. That's the place." We descended, through a passage between stone walls. Captain Gabion now addressed me a second time: "Mr Y----, I have already undertaken to officiate as the Major's friend. You must pick up the skipper." "Well, but what's it all about?" said I. "Hadn't any idea of your intention. You never told me." "No time for explanation now," said the Captain. "Will you officiate, or will you not?" "Always ready to do the needful when the case requires," said I. "But, if the Major feels himself aggrieved, is there no other redress? Won't it be _infra dig._?" "The fact is," said the Major, "I don't intend to give him a _heavy_ licking--only just to polish him off a bit. As to redress, if I lodged a complaint, it must come ultimately before our own authorities. Now Englishmen abroad, when ill-treated, are always ignored or deserted by their government. I've seen that often. That rascal would get off scot-free; and the very fact of my having applied would be remembered to my disadvantage, and perhaps would injure me in my profession. If I was a Frenchman or a Yankee travelling abroad, and had been oppressed or ill-treated, I would apply to my government. But as I am an Englishman, what would be the use?" "Well," said I, "the skipper's conduct on board was very bad, I admit; to you, I've heard, particularly. But it's all over now. Come, let him off this time." "Very well," said the Major. "In a fortnight he sails for England--takes home a ship-load of British officers, sick, wounded, invalided. If he ill treats such fine fellows as you and me, and goes unpunished, how will he treat them, do you think? I'll tell you what. All I fear is, after he has got a few taps, he'll go down; then there'll be no getting him up again, and he'll escape with only half his deserts. Now that's just what I want you to prevent." "Well," said I; "if I am to officiate as the skipper's friend, of course I must do him justice. I only tell you that."