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cane。' Get another log…book； Mr。 Sharpe； put down that it begins this day at noon； and enter that Captain Robarts came on deck； found the ship in a miserable condition； took the command； mustered the officers and men； and stopped the ship's company's grog for a week for receiving him with hats on。〃
Even Sharpe； that walking Obedience； was taken aback。 〃Stopthe ship's company'sgrogfor a week； sir？〃
〃Yes； sir； for a week； and if you fling my orders back in my face instead of clapping on sail to execute them； I'll have you towed ashore on a grating。 Your name is Sharpe； well my name is Dammedsharpe； and so you'll find。〃
In short； the new captain came down on the ship like a blight。
He was especially hard on Dodd： nothing that commander had done was right； nor； had he done the contrary； would that have been right： he was disgracefully behind time； and he ought to have put in to the Isle of France； which would have retarded him： his rope bulwarks were lubberly： his rudder a disgrace to navigation： he； Robarts； was not so green as to believe that any master had really sailed sixteen hundred miles with it； and if he had； more shame for him。 Briefly； a marine criticaster。
All this was spoken _at_ Dodda thing no male does unless he is an awful snoband grieved him； it was so unjust。 He withdrew wounded to the little cabin he was entitled to as a passenger； and hugged his treasure for comfort。 He patted the pocket…book； and said to it； 〃Never _you_ mind！ The greater Tartar he is； the less likely to sink you or run you on a lee shore。〃
With all his love of discipline； Robarts was not so fond of the ship as Dodd。
While his repairs were going on he was generally ashore； and by this means missed a visit。 Commodore Collier； one of the smartest sailors afloat； espied the Yankee makeshift from the quarter…deck of his vessel； the _Salamanca；_ fifty guns。 In ten minutes he was under the _Agra's_ stern inspecting it； then came on board； and was received in form by Sharpe and the other officers。 〃Are you the master of this ship； sir？〃 he asked。
〃No； commodore。 I am the first mate： the captain is ashore。〃
〃I am sorry for it。 I want to talk about his rudder。〃
〃Oh； _he_ had nothing to do with that；〃 replied Sharpe； eagerly： 〃that was our dear old captain： he is on board。 Young gentleman！ ask Captain Dodd to oblige me by coming on deck！ Hy！ and Mr。 Fullalove too。〃
〃Young gentleman？〃 inquired Collier。 〃What the devil officer is that？〃
〃That is a name we give the middies； I don't know why。〃
〃Nor I neither； ha！ ha！〃
Dodd and Fullalove came on deck； and Commodore Collier bestowed the highest compliments on the 〃makeshift。〃 Dodd begged him to transfer them to the real inventor； and introduced Fullalove。
〃Ay；〃 said Collier； 〃I know you Yankees are very handy。 I lost my rudder at sea once； and had to ship a makeshift； but it was a cursed complicated thing； not a patch upon yours； Mr。 Fullalove。 Yours is ingenious and _simple。_ Ship has been in action； I see： pray how was that； if I may be so bold？〃
〃Pirates； commodore；〃 said Sharpe。 〃We fell in with a brace of Portuguese devils； lateen…rigged； and carrying ten guns apiece； in the Straits of Gaspar： fought 'em from noon till sundown； riddled one； and ran down the other； and sunk her in a moment。 That was all your doing； Captain： so don't try to shift it on other people； for we won't stand it。〃
〃If he denies it； I won't believe him；〃 said Collier； 〃for he has got it in his eye。 Gentlemen； will you do me the honour to dine with me to…day on board the flag…ship？〃
Dodd and Fullalove accepted。 Sharpe declined； with regret； on the score of duty。 And as the cocked hat went down the side； after saluting him politely； he could not help thinking to himself what a difference between a real captain； who had something to be proud of； and his own unlicked cub of a skipper with the manners of a pilot…boat。 He told Robarts the next day： Robarts said nothing； but his face seemed to turn greenish； and it embittered his hatred of Dodd the inoffensive。
It is droll； and sad； but true； that Christendom is full of men in a hurry to hate。 And a fruitful cause is jealousy。 The schoolmen； or rather certain of the schoolmenfor nothing is much shallower than to speak of all those disputants as one schooldefined woman； 〃a featherless biped vehemently addicted to jealousy。〃 Whether she is more featherless than the male can be decided at a trifling expense of time； money； and reason： you have but to go to court。 But as for envy and jealousy； I think it is pure； unobservant； antique Cant which has fixed them on the female character distinctively。 As a molehill to a mountain is women's jealousy to men's。 Agatha may have a host of virtues and graces； and yet her female acquaintance will not hate her； provided she has the moderation to abstain from being downright pretty。 She may sing like an angel； paint like an angel； talk； write； nurse the sick； all like an angel； and not rouse the devil in her fair sisters； so long as she does not dress like an angel。 But the minds of men being much larger than women's； yet very little greater； they hang jealousy on a thousand pegs。 Where there was no peg； I have seen them do with a pin。
Captain Robarts took a pin； ran it into his own heart； and hung that sordid passion on it。
He would get rid of all the Doddites before he sailed。 He insulted Mr。 Tickell； so that he left the service and entered a mercantile house ashore： he made several of the best men desert； and the ship went to sea short of hands。 This threw heavier work on the crew； and led to many punishments and a steady current of abuse。 Sharpe became a mere machine； always obeying； never speaking： Grey was put under arrest for remonstrating against ungentlemanly language； and Bayliss； being at bottom of the same breed as Robarts； fell into his humour； and helped hector the petty officers and men。 The crew； depressed and irritated； went through their duties pully…hauly…wise。 There was no song under the forecastle in the first watch； and often no grog on the mess table at one bell。 Dodd never came on the quarter…deck without being reminded he was only a passenger； and the ship was now under naval discipline。 _〃I_ was reared in the royal navy； sir；〃 would Robarts say； 〃second lieutenant aboard the _Atalanta：_ that is the school； sir； that is the only school that breeds seamen。〃 Dodd bore scores of similar taunts as a Newfoundland puts up with a terrier in office： he seldom replied； and； when he did； in a few quiet dignified words that gave no handle。
Robarts； who bore the name of a lucky captain； had fair weather all the way to St。 Helena。
The guard…ship at this island was the _Salamanca。_ She had left the Cape a week before the _Agra。_ Captain Robarts； with his characteristic good…breeding； went to anchor in…shore of Her Majesty's ship： the wind failed at a critical moment； and a foul became inevitable。 Collier was on his quarter…deck； and saw what would happen long before Robarts did； he gave the needful orders； and it was beautiful to see how in half a minute the frigate's guns were run in； her ports lowered； her yards toppled on end； and a spring carried out and hauled on。
The _Agra_ struck abreast her own forechains on the _Salamanca's_ quarter。
（Pipe。） 〃Boarders away。 Tomahawks！ cut everything that holds！〃 was heard from the frigate's quarter…deck。 Rush came a boarding party on to the merchant ship and hacked away without mercy all her lower rigging that held on to the frigate； signal halyards and all； others boomed her off with capstan bars； &c。； and in two minutes the ships were clear。 A lieutenant and boat's crew came for Robarts； and ordered him on board the _Salamanca；_ and； to make sure of his coming； took him back with them。 He found Commodore Collier standing stiff as a ramrod on his quarter…deck。 〃Are you the master of the _Agra？_〃 （His quick eye had recognised her in a moment。）
〃I am； sir。〃
〃Then she was commanded by a seaman； and is now commanded by a lubber。 Don't apply for your papers this week； for you won't get them。 Good morning。 Take him away。〃
They returned Robarts to his ship； and a suppressed grin on a score of faces showed him the clear commanding tones of the commodore had reached his own deck。 He soothed himself by stopping the men's grog and mast…heading three midshipmen that same afternoon。
The night before he weighed anchor this disciplinarian was drinking very late in a low public…house。 There was not much moon； and the officer in charge of the ship did not see the gig coming till it was nearly alongside： then all was done in a flurry。
〃Hy！ man the side！ Lanterns there！ Jump； you boys； or you'll catch pepper。〃
The boys did jump； and little Murphy； not knowing the surgeon had ordered the ports to be drooped； bounded over the bulwarks like an antelope； lighted on the midship port； which stood at this angle /； and glanced off into the ocean； lantern foremost： he made his little hole in the water within a yard of' Captain Robarts。 That Dignity； though splashed； took no notice of so small an incident as a gone ship…boy： and if Murphy had been wise and stayed with Nep。 all had been well。 But the poor urchin inadvertently came up again； and withou