“I do,” answered Jack promptly, and before he saw who asked the question. “Jack Somers?” “Yes.” Jack now found that the speaker was Sam Becket, his topmate, who had been disrated on account of the affair off the capes of Virginia. He had fully recovered from the effects of his involuntary bath on that eventful morning. Popular opinion on board the Harrisburg had set hard against him; and he had found that the way of the transgressor is hard. Since his recovery, he had performed his duty in surly silence. If he felt any gratitude towards his topmate for saving his life, he never manifested it by word or look; and Jack and his friends had hardly noticed him. “You can have my place, Jack, if you want it bad,” added Becket, without looking at the person he addressed. “Thank you: I’m very much obliged to you, Becket,” said Jack, astonished at this self-sacrifice on the part of his enemy. “I owe you one for what you did that morning,” continued the ex-cockswain of the captain’s gig. “That’s handsome!” said Tom Longstone. “I’d like to go myself,” added Becket; “but I’ll give way to Somers. He did better nor that by me.” “That’s a fact, Becket. If it hadn’t been for the lad, you’d ’a been fish-bait in twenty minutes.” “Nobody knows it better nor I do. I was wrong that night in the top, and I axes his pardon.” “There’s my hand, Becket,” said Jack heartily. “You haven’t anything agin me, have you, Jack?” asked Becket, as he took the proffered hand. “Not a thing.” “You are welcome to my chance in the first cutter.” “Thank you, Becket.” “But you must get leave of the first-lieutenant,” added Tom. “How do you know but he has something for you to do? ’Spose the cap’n wants to go ashore: then where’s his cockswain? Perhaps he kept you back on purpose.” Jack’s ardor was a little dampened by this suggestion: but he determined to adopt it; for Tom’s view seemed to be correct. Though the ship was at anchor, her fires were banked, and her regular watches were kept. The boat-expedition was to start very early in the morning; and Jack was fearful that he should have no opportunity to obtain the desired permission. When the starboard watch was called at eight bells, he was so fortunate as to find Mr. Bankhead on deck; and he respectfully presented his petition. The first-lieutenant promised to consult the captain; and the result was, that the permission was granted; and Jack was as happy as though he were going to a feast, instead of to a work which might be bloody and fatal. CHAPTER XIII. THE BOAT-EXPEDITION. “All the starboard watch, ahoy!” piped the boatswain’s mate at eight bells on the following morning.