"It was not," said the corporal, energetically--"No, it was because he worshipped God according to his conscience, and refused to bow down before"---- "The strange sail is keeping away, sir, and will go a-head of us, if we don't bear up," sung out Mr Marline from forward. She was now within a mile of us, or less, rolling heavily on the long black swell. It was once more almost calm. "Hoist away the sail again," said Lanyard, "and let us overhaul her." As the white canvass spread out high into the night air, on the long elastic yard, the clear moon shone brightly on it. We became instantly visible to those in the ship; for we could see there was a bustle on board, and heard the sound of pulling and hauling, and the rattling of the cordage: the blocks and gear squeaking, and the yards cheeping against the masts, as they were being braced round. They were making more sail, as if desirous of eschewing our company. We stood on, and presently fired a gun across her bows, as a hint to heave-to; but, in place of its being taken, it was promptly returned; the shot whistling over our masthead. "Hey-day, Mr Wadding, you had better open the magazine, if this is to be the way of it," said Mr Lanyard; "and beat to quarters, Mr Marline, if you please." "Surely a craft manned by parsons, or singing men and women, don't mean to fight?" said little Joe Peak to Mr Marline. "Hush, Joe, will ye," quoth his senior; "don't you see the captain is on deck? But, _entre nous_, my lad, if this Psalm-singing don't stir up a gale of wind by four-and-twenty hours from this, I shall be exceedingly surprised." "Poo, poo; you have been taking a leaf out of Dogvane's book," quoth Joey. All seamen, it is well known, have a great repugnance to sail with a parson on board--that is, if he be a tortoise, or stray land parson. As for the regular chaplain--Lord love you, he is altogether another kind of affair--being his Majesty's officer in one sense. When we had again made sail, our friend Peter set to Lennox once more--"You are above them things, I knows, Lennox; but I thinks along with Mr Peak there, that these Psalm-singing folks will bring us bad weather, as sure as a gun." "Hoot, nonsense, mony a skart has skirled, and naething followed. Peter, ye're a superstitious fule; now, why should a clergyman being on board prove a bad omen? Why should a storm arise because a priest is part of the cargo?" "Oh!" persisted Peter, "it depends on the kind of _character_ he may have. If he is no better than he should be, why I don't care if we shipped a dozen on 'em, but a real vartuous clergyman is a very dangerous subject to the barky and all on board, take Peter Quid's word for it." "Ay, indeed?" said Lennox--"and the greater rogue the greater safety--the more excellent his character the greater danger?"