When he had gone below I asked the mate, what all this breeze meant? The mate asked me what I said to the captain when I called him, and then said to me, "The old man must be raving because you said Cape Spartel is in sight, instead of saying 'there's land in sight.'" "Well, I must say, he is stuck up," said I. "I asked him the other day what the longitude was, and I thought he was going to eat me up, he gave me such a savage look, and all the satisfaction I got was the information that it was the first time a third mate had ever asked him such a question. He makes so free with me telling his dirty stories and spinning yarns about Mr. Jones, that it didn't occur to me I was going to insult his dignity by asking such a question." "I could tell him," said the mate, "that he is the first captain I ever knew to spin yarns to his third mate. His dignity begins at the wrong place. If he wants his officers to respect him, he must show himself worthy of respect, instead of being the blackguard that every true man must loathe." There was this peculiarity about the cabin, that sounds from the deck could be heard there very distinctly, and as the mate was in the habit of holding forth to me in a night-watch concerning the captain's character, that individual often got the benefit of it. It was contrary to his idea of discipline also to have any conversation carried on between officers on duty, and only a few days before he had told me that he did not wish me to talk with the mate. All these remarks just made found their way to the captain's opened ears. To put a stop to it he came out on deck, and passing by us walked aft without saying a word. Upon looking in the binnacle he saw by the compass that the ship was a point off her course, and jumping to the rail he drew out a belaying pin and struck the man at the wheel two or three blows on the head. He then went around the lee side into the cabin, and the mate coming aft found the helmsman crying, and learned the cause.