Some agreed with
me, but others did not. One of them, who was always in disgrace, sneered
at me, and said, "Peter reads the Bible, and knows that if you smite one
cheek, he must offer the other. Now, I'll answer for it, if I pull his
right ear he will offer me his left." So saying, he lugged me by the
ear, upon which I knocked him down for his trouble. The berth was then
cleared away for a fight, and in a quarter of an hour my opponent gave
in; but I suffered a little, and had a very black eye. I had hardly time
to wash myself and change my shirt, which was bloody, when I was
summoned on the quarter-deck. When I arrived, I found Mr Falcon walking
up and down. He looked very hard at me, but did not ask me any questions
as to the cause of my unusual appearance.
"Mr Simple," said he, "I sent for you to beg your pardon for my
behaviour to you last night, which was not only very hasty but very
unjust. I find that you were not to blame for the loss of the men."
I felt very sorry for him when I heard him speak so handsomely; and, to
make his mind more easy, I told him that, although I certainly was not
to blame for the loss of those two men, still I had done wrong in
permitting Hickman to leave the boat; and that had not the sergeant
picked him up, I should have come off without him, and therefore I _did_
deserve the punishment which I had received.
"Mr Simple," replied Mr Falcon, "I respect you, and admire your
feelings; still, I was to blame, and it is my duty to apologise.
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