That's a melancholy sight to a man of feelin', Captain Cuffe, the object between the two midship-guns, on the starboard side of the main-deck, sir ?" "You mean the prisoner?
I wish with all my heart he was not there, Strand.

I think I would rather he were in his lugger again, to run the chances of that fourth chase of which you seem to think so lightly." "Your hanging ships are not often lucky ships, Captain Cuffe.

In my judgment, asking your pardon, sir, there ought to be a floating jail in every fleet, where all the courts and all the executions should be held." "It would be robbing the boatswains of no small part of their duty, were the punishments to be sent out of the different vessels," answered Cuffe, smiling.
"Aye, aye, sir--the punishments, I grant, your honor; but hanging is an _execution_, and not a punishment.

God forbid that at my time of life I should be ordered to sail in a ship that has no punishment on board; but I am really getting to be too old to look at executions with any sort of pleasure.

Duty that isn't done with pleasure is but poor duty at the best, sir." "There are many disagreeable and some painful duties to be performed, Strand; this of executing a man, let the offence be what it may, is among the most painful." "For my part, Captain Cuffe, I do not mind hanging a mutineer so very much, for he is a being that the world ought not to harbor; but it is a different thing with an enemy and a spy.