Duty before decency." So saying, the boatswain lays hold of the boy.
"Surely, Mr Biggs," said Jack, "you are not going to punish that boy for not coming up without his trousers ?" "Yes, Mr Easy, I am--I must teach him a lesson.

We are bound, now that newfangled ideas are brought into the ship, to uphold the dignity of the service; and the orders of an officer are not to be delayed ten minutes and twenty seconds because a boy has no trousers on." Whereupon the boatswain administered several smart cuts with his rattan upon the boy, proving that it was quite as well that he had put on his trousers before he came on deck.

"There," said Mr Biggs, "is a lesson for you, you scamp--and, Mr Easy, it is a lesson for you also," continued the boatswain, walking away with a most consequential air.
"Murder Irish!" said Mesty--"how him cut caper.

De oder day he haul out de weather ear-ring, and touch him hat to a midshipman.

Sure enough, make um cat laugh." The next day the Harpy was at anchor in Gibraltar Bay; the captain went on shore, directing the gig to be sent for him before nine o'clock; after which hour the sally-port is only opened by special permission.
There happened to be a ball given by the officers of the garrison on that evening, and a polite invitation was sent to the officers of H.M.
sloop Harpy.