“Ay, this is ever the way with your disorganizers,” muttered the Rover, just loud enough to be heard by Wilder. “A little more honesty, than they possess, is just wanted, in order that each may enjoy the faith of his neighbour. And how did the fellows receive the lenity? Did I well? or must the morning bring its punishment?”
“It is better as it stands, sir. The people know whose memory is good, and they talk already of the danger of adding another reckoning to this they feel certain you have not forgotten. There is the captain of the forecastle, who is a little bitter, as usual, and the more so just now, on account of the knock-down he got from the list of the black.”
“Ay, he is ever troublesome; a settling day must come at last with the rogue.”
“It will be a small matter to expend him in boat-service sir; and the ship’s company will be all the better for his absence.”
“Well, well; no more of him,” interrupted the Rover, a little impatiently, as if he liked not that his companion should look too deeply into the policy of his government, so early in his initiation. “I will see to him. If I mistake not, fellow, you over-acted your own part to-day, and were a little too forward in leading on the trouble.”
“I hope your Honour will remember that the crew had been piped to mischief; besides, there could be no great harm in washing the powder off a few marines.”
“Ay, but you pressed the point after your officer had seen fit to interfere. Be wary in future, lest you make the acting too true to nature, and you get applauded in a manner quite as well performed.”
The fellow promised caution and amendment; and then he was dismissed, with his reward in gold, and with an injunction to be secret in his return. So soon as the interview was ended, the Rover and Wilder resumed their walk; the former having made sure that no evesdropper had been at hand to steal into his mysterious connexion with the spy. The silence was again long, thoughtful, and deep.
“Good ears” (recommenced the Rover) “are nearly as important, in a ship like this, as a stout heart. The rogues forward must not be permitted to eat of the fruit of knowledge, lest we, who are in the cabins, die.”
“This is a perilous service in which we are embarked,” observed his companion, by a sort of involuntary exposure of his secret thoughts.