BOATSWAIN. Aye, blast my eyes, and our Chaplain with his dirty black gown, or our Cook, shall be their general, and review 'em, for he talks of throwing up his pot-halliards commission, in hopes of it. SERJEANT. Ha, ha, ha.---- COOK. I'd see the devil have 'em first.---- [_Exeunt SERJEANT, &c._ SCENE VI. _In the cabin._ _LORD KIDNAPPER, CAPTAIN SQUIRES, and CHAPLAIN._ KIDNAPPER. These blacks are no small acquisition, them and the Tories we have on board will strengthen us vastly; the thoughts of emancipation will make 'em brave, and the encouragement given them by my proclamation, will greatly intimidate the rebels--internal enemies are worse than open foes.---- CHAPLAIN. Very true, My Lord; David prayed that he might be preserved from secret enemies. KIDNAPPER. Aye, so I've heard, but I look upon this to be a grand manoeuvre in politics; this is making dog eat dog--thief catch thief--the servant against his master--rebel against rebel--what think you of that, parson? CHAPLAIN. A house divided thus against itself cannot stand, according to scripture--My Lord, your observation is truly scriptural. KIDNAPPER. Scripture? poh, poh--I've nothing to do with scripture--I mean politically, parson. CHAPLAIN. I know it very well; sure, My Lord, I understand you perfectly. KIDNAPPER. Faith that's all I care for; if we can stand our ground this winter, and burn all their towns that are accessible to our ships, and Colonel Connolly succeeds in his plan, there's not the least doubt but we shall have supplies from England very early in the spring, which I have wrote for; then, in conjunction with Connolly, we shall be able to make a descent where we please, and drive the rebels like hogs into a pen. CHAPLAIN. And then gather them (as the scriptures say) as a hen gathereth her chickens. KIDNAPPER. True, Mr. Scripture. CAPTAIN SQUIRES. Very good, but you must take care of the hawks. KIDNAPPER. What do you mean by the hawks, Captain? CAPTAIN SQUIRES. I mean the shirt-men, the rifle-men, My Lord. KIDNAPPER. Aye, damn 'em, hawks indeed; they are cursed dogs; a man is never safe where they are, but I'll take care to be out of their reach, let others take their chance, for I see they have no respect to persons--I suppose they wou'd shoot at me, if I were within their reach. CHAPLAIN. Undoubtedly, they would be more fond of you than of a wild turkey; a parcel of ignorant, unmannerly rascals, they pay no more respect to a Lord than they wou'd to a devil. KIDNAPPER. The scoundrels are grown so damn'd impudent too, that one can scarcely get a roasting pig now-a-days, but I'll be even with some of 'em by and by. CHAPLAIN. I hope we shall get something good for our Christmas dinner--so much abstinence and involuntary mortification, cannot be good for the soul--a war in the body corporal is of more dangerous consequence than a civil war to the state, or heresy and schism to the church.