When do you think we shall get to Dover ?" "She is walking along fast," the sergeant said; "we shall be there tomorrow morning.

We might be there before, but the sailors say that the skipper is not likely to run in before daylight, and before it gets dark he will shorten sail so as not to get there before." The wind increased until it was blowing a gale; but the cutter was a good sea boat, and being in light trim made good weather of it.

However, even Jack was pleased when he felt a sudden change in the motion of the vessel, and knew that she was running into Dover harbor.
Morning was just breaking, and the hatchways being removed the sergeant shouted down to the pressed men that they could come on deck.

It was a miserable body of men who crawled up in answer to the summons, utterly worn out and exhausted with the seasickness, the closeness of the air, and the tossing and buffeting of the last eighteen hours; many had scarce strength to climb the ladder.
All the spirit and indignation had been knocked out of them--they were too miserable and dejected to utter a complaint.

The sergeant ordered his men to draw up some buckets of water, and told the recruits to wash themselves and make themselves as decent as they could, and the order was sharply enforced by the captain when he came on deck.
"I would not march through the streets of Dover with such a filthy, hang dog crew," he said; "why, the very boys would throw mud at you.