Shortly afterwards the company arrived, and Jack soon forgot all about it.
In the meantime Sawbridge called at the captain's lodgings, and found him at home.

He made a very faithful report of all that had happened, and concluded his report by demanding, in great wrath, either an instant dismissal or a court-martial on our hero, Jack.
"Stop, Sawbridge," replied Captain Wilson, "take a chair: as Mr Easy says, we must argue the point, and then I will leave it to your better feelings.

As for the court-martial, it will not hold good, for Mr Easy, in the first place, has not yet joined the ship, and in the next place, could not be supposed to know that you were the first lieutenant, or even an officer, for you went to him out of uniform." "Very true, sir," replied Sawbridge, "I had forgotten that." "Then, as for his dismissal, or rather, not allowing him to join, Mr Easy has been brought up in the country, and has never seen anything aquatic larger than a fish-pond, perhaps, in his life; and as for the service, or the nature of it, I believe he is as ignorant of it as a child not a year old--I doubt whether he knows the rank of a lieutenant, certainly, he can have no idea of the power of a first lieutenant, by his treatment of you." "I should think not," replied Sawbridge, dryly.
"I do not think, therefore, that conduct which must have proceeded from sheer ignorance should be so severely punished--I appeal to you, Sawbridge." "Well, sir, perhaps you are right--but still he told me he was a philosopher, and talked about equality and rights of man.

Told me that he could only admit of equality between us, and begged to argue the point.

Now, sir, if a midshipman is to argue the point every time that an order is given, the service will come to a pretty pass." "That is all very true, Sawbridge; and now you remind me of what never occurred to me at the time that I promised to take Mr Easy in the ship.
I now recollect that his father, who is a distant relation of mine, has some very wild notions in his head, just like what have been repeated by his son on your interview with him.