The frigate chanced to be placed nearly in the direction indicated; consequently she must have been somewhat nearer to the stranger than the line-of-battle ship was.

But the man stationed at the frigate's mast-head declared he could distinguish nothing of any stranger.

Upon this the officer of the watch sent up the captain of the maintop, an experienced and quick-sighted seaman, who, having for some minutes looked in vain in every direction, asserted positively that there was nothing in sight from that elevation.

It was thus rendered certain, or at all events highly probable, that the precipitate sentence of the day before had been unjust; for, under circumstances even less favourable, it appeared that the poor fellow could not by possibility have seen the stranger, for not first detecting which he was punished! I must give the conclusion of this painful story in the words of my informant, the officer of the deck:--"I reported all this to the captain of the ship, and watched the effect.

He seemed on the point of acknowledging that his heart smote him; but pride prevailed, and it was barely an ejaculation that escaped.