"  '  Well,  then,  Mr.  Brail,  you  won't —
very  well :  now  all  I  have  to  say  is  this :
that  the  moment  I  can  find  strength  to  do
it,  I'll  stave  out  a  plank  ;  I'll  scuttle  the
vessel,  that's  all  ;  I  have  made  up  my
mind,  and  look  to  yourselves  now.'

"Saying  these  words,  I  again  threw
myself  upon  the  ballast,  and,  as  the  gay
chorus  of  a  drinking  song  was  wafted
across  me,  prayed  devoutly  that  we  might
all  go  down  to  the  bottom.  The  song
over,  I  heard  a  harsh,  gruff  voice  mixing
with  the  more  civilized  tones  of  the  party,
and  soon  perceived  that  Mr.  Brail  was  re-
counting my  proposal  amid  the  most  up-
roarious shouts  of  laughter  I  ever  listened
to.  Then  followed  a  number  of  pleasant
suggestions  for  my  future  management  ;
one  proposing  to  have  me  tried  for  mutiny,
and  sentenced  to  a  good  ducking  over  the
side  ;  another,  that  I  should  be  tarred  on
my  back,  to  which  latter  most  humane
notion  the  fair  Agnes  subscribed,  averring
that  she  was  resolved  upon  my  deserving
my  sobriquet  of  Dirk  Hatteraick.  My
wrath  was  now  the  master  even  of  deadly
sickness.  I  got  upon  my  knees,  and  hav-
ing in  vain  tried  to  reach  my  legs.  I  strug-
gled aft.  In  this  posture  did  I  reach  the
quarter-deck.  What  my  intention  pre-
cisely was  in  this  excursion,  I  have  no  no-
tion of  now,  but  I  have  some  very  vague
idea,  that  I  meant  to  react  the  curse  of


HARRY  LORREQl '/;/,'.
155


Kehama  upon  the  whole  party.     At  last  I

mustered  strength  to  rise;  hut.  alas!  1
had  scarcely  reached  the  standing  posil  ion.
