frigates, and there floated the union-jack, for which he had often risked his life. Shiver my timbers! but this is a queer go!' said he, and with that he twitched up his trowsers as usual, and shook the pigtail— which then hung from every sailor's head.

The vessels, perceiving a man thus expose himself, began to fire at him.

'Avast there!' shouted Jim; but, as they did not hear him, or attend to him, he ran to the principal battery, and, climbing up the flagstaff, pulled down the Dutch colours, and hoisted up a ragged old turban he found lying in one of the streets. The commanders of the vessels thought this extremely odd. Something strange had evidently happened; so they sent a boat on shore, bearing a flag of truce, carried by the first-lieutenant of one of the frigates. Unmolested the party marched up to the fort; and, as the gates were open, unmolested they marched into it. Not a soul did they meet till Jim strutted up to them. 'Holloa, you sir, what's the meaning of this?' said the first-lieutenant to Bunting, in a voice of anger; for it was sadly infra dig. for an officer of his rank to have been thus sent off to parley with a common sailor. 'What's the meaning of this?'

'Please your honour, I hope you won't be angry, Leeftenant, but, somehow or other, I've taken this place. The enemy have cut the painter, and sheered off."

'What!' cried the superior. Jim nodded.

You took the fort?'

'And, pray who the devil gave you leave to do so, I should much like to know? Get on board, sir, directly.'

'Ay, ay, sir,' replied Jim respectfully, instantly doing as he was desired.

In the meantime the Lieutenant went, and formally took possession of the place by running up the British colours; then writing a most pompous despatch, in which he recommended the real captor to be tried for leaving his ship without permission, he sent it back by a young midshipman, remaining behind himself with half-a-dozen sailors, in order, as he expressed it, to garrison the Fort.

Strange to say, his recommendation was attended to, and Jim Bunting brought to a court-martial, who most reluctantly were compelled to find him guilty, adjudging him, however, to undergo the least possible punishment that could be inflicted for so glaring a breach of discipline. Jim felt highly indignant at the turn things had taken. He could not help fancying himself an ill-used man; but he bore it stoically. When, however, he heard the verdict delivered; when he heard himself pronounced guilty, he once more hitched up his nether garments, and exclaimed in an audible voice as he left the cabin, Damn my eyes, if ever I take another fort as long as I live.' Need I add that, though, to satisfy the strictness of the law, to which all in the navy must bow, the verdict of guilty was brought in, he was afterwards amply praised, and rewarded by his superiors?