“Master Bangs,” said I, at length, “you are the only friend in whom at this moment I can confide. You know my circumstances in life, and I feel that I can with confidence ask you to do the son of my father a favor.”
“What is it you wish, my dear fellow––speak out.”
“I will speak. In the first place, I am very much worried that I have exposed you and your friends to so much danger, but I could not foresee it; on that score my conscience is easy; the only thing I ask of you all is to remain below and not expose yourselves unnecessarily. If I should fall,”––here I involuntarily grasped Bang’s hand––“and I doubt if I shall see another sunset, for we are going to fight against fearful odds.”
“Well,” interrupted Bangs, “if the enemy is too strong for you, why didn’t you leave him to himself, my dear fellow, and take to flight?”
“A thousand things, my worthy friend, prevented me from taking such a step. I am a young man and a young officer, and must win my character in the service; no, it is impossible to fly; an older and more tried seaman than myself might have done so, but I must fight; if a shot finishes me, will you, my dear friend, deliver this portfolio to my poor mother, whose only support I am?”
As I uttered these words, the scalding tears rolled in torrents down my cheeks. I trembled like a leaf, and firmly pressing my friend’s hand in mine, I fell on my knees and fervently and silently prayed to that God in whose all-mighty hand my destiny lay, that he would give me strength on this day, to do my duty as became an English sailor. Bangs knelt by my side. Suddenly my tears ceased to flow and I arose.
“I am not ashamed to have shown so much feeling before you, my friend.”
“Don’t mention it, my dear boy, neither of us will fight any the worse for it.”
I looked at him in astonishment.