"Discipline, you know, is the very life of a man-of-war, and this must
account for what now took place. Tom Edwards, a young foretopman, had the
lee lookout, and as seven bells struck he sang out, 'Lee cat-head;' but
the last syllable died away on his lips as his eyes rested upon an
object--a white object--standing bolt upright in the water before him,
about a hundred yards distant and broad off on the lee bow. Suppressing a
strong desire to shriek, and recovering himself, he touched his hat and
said, 'Mr. Buckner, will you step up here, sir, if you please?'
"'What is she, Edwards?' said Buckner, as he quickly mounted the
hammock-rail.
"One look, a dip down, a shiver, and, O Lord! what did he see but _old
Sadler standing straight as a ramrod, and heading right for the ship!_
"It took Buck a full minute to recover himself, and then, with one eye on
the lee bow and the other on the quarter-deck, he walked aft and
deliberately touching his cap, reported to Moffitt, 'Old Sadler broad off
on the lee bow, sir.'
"'The d---- he is!' exclaimed Moffitt; but, checking himself, he said,
'Mr. Hammond, report Sadler's arrival to the commodore; and you, Mr.
M----, report it to the first lieutenant, sir.'
"My eyes were as big as saucers as I rushed down the steerage ladder and
into the ward-room, where I found the first lieutenant quietly seated
reading over the black list; and when, with my heart in my throat, I said,
'Mr.
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