"You are likely to see service, from what I hear in the town!" observed Captain Corbet. "I believe you are right, Sir. We have heard, though it is not yet fully made known, that we are to join the fleet very soon; and I am glad of it with all my heart, for this recruiting business is not all to my mind. I would far rather be fighting the French, than helping to drag poor fellows from their wives and families, perhaps never to see them again?" "War is a sad necessity," observed Mr. Cheriton, "and this business of pressing men into the navy is not the least cruel part of it. I heard the other day in Berwick, that a company of poor persons were assembled in a cottage for the purpose of prayer and reading the Scriptures, when a press-gang fell upon them, and carried off the men to the number of ten, including the local preacher." "Like enough, Sir. Few gangs would miss such a chance, and some of our officers would think it an excellent joke to break up a Methodist meeting in that way." "But what, sort of sailors will your Methodists make?" asked Captain Corbet. "Capital, Sir! To judge from the two or three specimens we had last year. One of them was a preacher, and I never saw a man more devoid of fear. He had hard measure from his mates at first, but he bore all so patiently and cheerfully, returning good for evil whenever he had a chance, that the most of them were won to his side. And when he finally died of wounds received in an action, I believe he was lamented by all." "I dare say you are right!" remarked Captain Corbet. "These Methodists are doing a wonderful work in our parts. I never saw a grander sight, than the great open air amphitheatre of Gwennap, filled from end to end, a sea of upturned faces, intent upon Mr. Wesley's preaching. It was truly wonderful to see how he held all these wild folks, half of whom had never heard a sermon in their lives, or entered a church, except to be christened or married; how they hung upon his words and would hardly let him go." "They say, or at least some people do, that the effect produced is mere animal excitement, and that half of the converts go back to be as bad as they were before." "That some of them should do so, is to be expected!" replied Mr. Cheriton. "But I do not believe from what I have myself seen, that nearly so many as half fall away." "And suppose they did, would that be any argument against Mr. Wesley's preaching?" asked the elder sailor with some warmth. "Would you refuse to go to the rescue of a shipwrecked vessel, because you could probably save only half the passengers?"