"No, no," replied I. "I won't unless all the rest do." Bob then took me on one side, and told me what had taken place, and asked me what he should say to the captain. I told him, and then he left us. At ten o'clock the captain came on board. Bob Cross went up to him and said he wished to say something to him in the cabin. He followed the captain down, and then explained to him that I was among the pressed men but as a means of obtaining plenty more men, I had remained among them, and had not made myself known, for fear my trick should get wind; also that I thought the crimp should be kept on board, although he was of no use as a seaman. "Mr Keene has behaved very prudently," replied Captain Delmar. "I understand his motives--leave the rest to me." A few minutes after Bob had communicated to me what the captain had said, the pressed men were ordered up, and ranged along the quarter-deck. A finer set of men I never saw together: and they all appeared to be, as they afterwards proved to be prime seamen. The captain called them one by one and questioned them. He asked them to enter, but they refused. The crimp begged hard to be released. Their names were all put down on the ship's book together. The captain, turning to me--for I had stood up the last of the row-- said, "I understand the officer of the impress agreed to release you if you would tell him where your comrades were. I don't like losing a good man, but still I shall let you go in consequence of the promise being made. There, you may take a boat and go on shore." "Thank your honour," replied I. I went to the gangway immediately; but I never shall forget the faces of the pressed men when I passed them: they looked as if I had a thousand lives, and they had stomach enough to take them all. I went on shore immediately, and going to my hotel, washed the colour and dirt off my face, dressed myself in my mate's uniform, and went to the hotel where the captain lived. I found that he had just come on shore, and I sent up my name, and I was admitted. I then told the captain the information which we had received with regard to nine or ten more houses, and that I thought I might now go on board, and never be recognised. "You have managed extremely well," replied Captain Delmar; "we have made a glorious haul: but I think it will be better that you do not go on board; the press-gang shall meet you every night, and obey your orders." I bowed, and walked out of the room.