 it to my own liking, after tasting pretty often, for the soldier
was difficult to please, slap come the foresail ag'inst the mast, and whiz went
the ship round on her heel, like a whirlygig. And a lucky thing was it that our
helm was down; for as she gathered starnway she payed off, which was more than
every ship in the fleet did, or could do. But she strained herself in the trough
of the sea, and she shipped a deal of water over her quarter. I never swallowed
so much clear water at a time, in my life, as I did then, for I was looking up
the after-hatch at the instant.«
    »I wonder, Benjamin, that you did not die with a dropsy!« said Marmaduke.
    »I mought, Judge,« said the old tar, with a broad grin; »but there was no
need of the med'cine chest for a cure; for, as I thought the brew was spoilt for
the marine's taste, and there was no telling when another sea might come and
spoil it for mine, I finished the mug on the spot. So then all hands was called
to the pumps, and there we began to ply the pumps -«
    »Well, but the weather?« interrupted Marmaduke; »what of the weather without
doors?«
    »Why, here the wind has been all day at the south, and now there's a lull,
as if the last blast was out of the bellows; and there's a streak along the
mountains, to the north'ard, that, just now, wasn't wider than the bigness of
your hand; and then the clouds drive afore it as you'd brail a mainsail, and the
stars are heaving in sight, like so many lights and beacons, put there to warn
us to pile on the wood; and, if-so-be that I'm a judge of weather, it's getting
to be time to build on a fire; or you'll have half of them there porter-bottles,
and them dimmy-johns of wine, in the locker here, breaking with the frost, afore
the morning watch is called.«
    »Thou art a prudent sentinel,« said the Judge. »Act thy pleasure with the
forests, for this night at least.«
    Benjamin did as he was ordered; nor had two hours elapsed, before the
prudence of his precautions became very visible. The south wind had, indeed,
blown itself
