Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/225

 youth, but having taken a wild and indolent turn, had got into mischief, and to save himself from a severe chastisement, had run away from his friends, and entered on board a man-of-war. In this situation he had found time, in the intervals of duty, to read and to think; he became, in time, sullen, and separated himself from the occasional merriment of his messmates; and it is not improbable that this moody temper had given rise to the mutinous acts for which he was to suffer.

This man now apologized for the liberty he had taken, and said he would not detain me long.

"You see, Sir," said he, "that my poor friend is quite overcome with the horror of his situation; nor do I wonder at it. He is very different from the hardened malefactors that are executed on shore; we are neither of us afraid to die: but such a death as this, Mr. Mildmay—to be hung up like dogs, an example to the fleet, and a shame and reproach to our friends—