It was clearly understood by all parties, that a meeting would take place as soon as they went on shore; and the Dragoon, in preparation for this, one fine day, when about fifty miles off the Tagus,—the ship quite steady—“paraded” his pistols on deck (a _handsome_ pair,) oiled the locks, &c. and fired several shots at a mark! This only smelled of powder: not a grain of courage could have been conjoined with such genuine Cockaigne bravado; as the subsequent conduct of Dickens amply proved. Even on the very night of the day on which he made this display of his pistols, the natural man came out of his fustian case, and undid the doings of the artificial. Thus it was:—About half-past ten at night, as all but Lieutenant Dickens were on deck, enjoying the beauty of the scene, which was glistening with moonlight—the air temperate and serene—the vessel moving steadily, with a fair breeze on her quarter, at about four knots an hour—the watch and the dragoons lounging about the forecastle and main deck—the officers and the master smoking segars on the quarter-deck—and all particularly happy in the prospect of soon terminating their voyage; even the horses in the hold, appearing to be sensible of the great change from hurricane to calm, neighing playfully, and biting each others' necks, after having, (poor animals!) suffered severely during the voyage, in the course of which several of them had died. Such was the state of things on board, when one of the watch informed the master that a strange sail was bearing down on them. In a few minutes she was within about half a quarter of a mile, and they could see her, like a fairy castle, floating on the moon-bright water. She was a square-rigged ship, as they could plainly see from the outline of the dark mass, which was well thrown out upon the moonlight behind her. The master no longer doubted his danger, and declared that the approaching vessel was a French privateer of eight or ten guns. It was immediately determined to fight in case he attacked them; as there were six-and-thirty hands on board, including the soldiers, and as they carried four carronades, and had plenty of small arms. For this purpose all the men armed themselves, and were mustered on deck, determined to resist being boarded, and to maintain a running-fight.... Can it be credited? the _Commanding-officer_, Lieutenant Dickens, was the only individual who remained below!—he was in bed, and too _bilious_ to fight; particularly at such an unseasonable hour: yet it was on this very day that he had wasted his powder in firing at a mark! However, there is no accounting for illness; the bile is a most treacherous enemy.