O'Driscoll and I would have been right glad of an excuse to remain at New York, but we had not even sprung a spar, and our craft were as tight as bottles, and our crews did not want a single dose of physic among them, so we were obliged to put to sea again that evening. We however contrived to pick up a round of beef, two legs of mutton, and a turkey, with a sack of potatoes, and some other vegetables, out of a bumboat which had come down to supply the Syren, and which we waylaid before she reached that ship. I must not forget also some soft tack, three dozen of bottled ale, and a cheese, which set us up in the comestible way for some time. Just as we got to sea the wind veered round to the east and south-east, and with a favourable breeze, under easy sail, we stood to the northward. The next day O'Driscoll came aboard to dine with me. I had the turkey. The bird had made so many objections to remaining in the coop into which I put him, that I was obliged to kill him. He was consequently rather tough, but midshipmen's teeth don't stand at trifles, and we made considerable progress in devouring him. "This is very jolly, Captain Hurry," said O'Driscoll, pouring out for himself a glass of foaming ale. "Here's to you, man, and I don't care how long we're on our cruise." "It will soon come to an end if this wind lasts," I remarked. "Not a bit of it, if we're inclined to make it longer," he replied. "Suppose now, a craft was to make her appearance in the south-east, we should have to make sail after her, and it might be many a day before we got back to port, do ye see. Do you twig, my boy, eh?" "Oh, yes, O'Driscoll. I understand you perfectly," said I. "But that sort of conduct does not exactly come up to my notion of our duty to the service. We might get a long cruise, certainly, but I don't think we should enjoy it, and we might just possibly fall into the hands of an enemy, and end it in a prison on shore." "Ha! ha! ha! that would be an unpleasant termination to our independent commands," he replied, laughing. "Well, I suppose to do our duty is the best policy. I shouldn't like the catastrophe you picture so vividly."