When I woke, I found Burke was come into the cabin. He told me that the wind, the sea, and the disaffection of the mariners were sunk together.
“I told you that it would be so,” said I; but, “Not so fast, young cockerel!” says he. “It would not have been so, and the men had mutinied beyond doubt, but for a curious occurrence and a piece of good fortune, which the Captain had the wit and sagacity to lay hold on.
“’Twas so: in the mid-watch, after the wind came to W. and sunk, and the ship recovered her course, the men came together in a gang, and the boatswain, stepping to the Captain, begged him, on behalf of the whole ship’s company, to bear up the helm and proceed no farther in that course. The Captain enquired what they found amiss with the course, and was answered, that, in the blustering weather, and in the many lets and hindrances they had met withal they did clearly perceive the hand of Almighty God warning them against going on. The Captain used all persuasions to turn them from this opinion; but he had as well laboured to have turned the wind. When he found he could not oversway them, he told them plainly that he would not leave his course on any considerations. ‘Nor,’ added he, ‘would you wish me to do it, if you but knew, or had any notion of, what a rich and kingly treasure is there!’”
“Thereupon the men withdrew to the forecastle to consult. Now, a little after, while they thus stood, came a violent furious tornado, which went roaring past our stern at about our ship’s length away. On that, without a moment’s hesitation, the Captain goes to the men, and, ‘Look ’e here, my lads,’ says he, ‘you saw that tornado? Well, where would we ha’ been, think you, had it struck us? Answer me that!’
“‘Why, Cap’n,’ says the boatswain, ‘I suppose we would ha’ foundered.’
“‘Ay,’ says the Captain, returning sharply on him, ‘I suppose we would! And now hear another thing, if I had borne up the helm, as you desired me to do, where would we ha’ been then? Why, bang in the middle of the tornado, ye lunkheads! Now, where’s your warning hand of God Almighty—heh?’ says he. Ay, that brother of yours hath a headpiece to his shoulders, look you, Frank!”
“And so, then,” said I, “that turned them.”
“Turned them? Why, guinea-pigs in a cage aren’t more tractable! And, talking of guinea-pigs,” says the waggish fellow, smiling on me, “Talking of guinea-pigs, I have to tell ye, you are now freed from your cage, and may quit your bed and cabin.”
You may be sure I was glad enough to hear this; and, Burke helping me, I rose up, and went stiffly out to the deck.
The day was clear and bright, with white scud-cloud flying towards the west; the sea much fallen. The ship sailed heavily, making a due west way. Her topworks were loose, but she had sustained no leaks. The Captain took the sun, and seemed to be much satisfied with the observation.