When Captain G--- made his appearance, he seemed to be in the most amiable humour possible. As soon as he saw me, he said, "Ah, this is what I like; never break your leave even for five minutes. Now that I see I can trust you, you may go on shore again as soon as you please." This speech might have done very well to any person before the mast; but as applied to an officer, I thought it rude and ungentlemanly. The caterer had prepared lunch in the gun-room: it consisted of beef-steaks and broiled bullocks' kidneys, with fried onions; and their savoury smell rose in grateful steams up the sky-light, and assailed the nostrils of the skipper. His facetious small-talk knew no bounds; he leaned over the frame, and looking down, said,--"I say, something devilish good going on there below!" The hint was taken, and the first lieutenant invited him down. "I don't care if I do; I am rather peckish." So saying, he was down the hatchway in the twinkling of one of his own funny eyes, as he feared the choice bits would be gone before he could get into action. We all followed him; and as he seated himself, he said-- "I trust, gentlemen, this is not the last time I shall sit in the gun-room, and that you will all consider my cabin as your own. I love to make my officers comfortable: nothing more delightful than an harmonious ship, when every man and boy is willing to go to hell for his officers. That's what I call good fellowship--give and take--make proper allowances for one another's failings, and we shall be sorry when the time comes for us to part. I am afraid, however, that I shall not be long with you; for though I doat upon the brig, the Duke of N--- and Lord George --- have given the first Lord a damned _whigging_ for not promoting me sooner; and between ourselves--I don't wish it to go further--my post commission goes out with me to Barbadoes." The first lieutenant cocked his eye; and quick as were the motions of that eye, the captain, with a twist of one of his own, caught a glimpse of it, before it could be returned to its bearing on the central object, the beef-steaks, kidneys, and onions. But it passed off without a remark.