I was taken on board, and put under an arrest for my misconduct.

Now, Peter, I don't know anything more agreeable than being put under an arrest.

Nothing to do all day but eat and drink, and please yourself, only forbid to appear on the quarter-deck, the only place that a midshipman wishes to avoid.
Whether it was to punish me more severely, or whether he forgot all about me, I can't tell, but it was nearly two months before I was sent for to the cabin; and the captain, with a most terrible frown, said, that he trusted that my punishment would be a warning to me, and that now I might return to my duty.

'Plase your honour,' said I, 'I don't think that I've been punished enough yet.' 'I am glad to find that you are so penitent, but you are forgiven, so take care that you do not oblige me to put you again in confinement.' So, as there was no persuading him, I was obliged to return to my duty again; but I made a resolution that I would get into another scrape again as soon as I dared--" "Sail on the starboard bow!" cried the look-out man.
"Very well," replied the master; "Mr O'Brien--where's Mr O'Brien ?" "Is it me you mane, sir ?" said O'Brien, walking up to the master, for he had sat down so long in the topsail-halyard rack, that he was wedged in and could not get out immediately.
"Yes, sir; go forward, and see what that vessel is." "Aye, aye, sir," said O'Brien.

"And Mr Simple," continued the master, "go down and bring me up my night-glass." "Yes, sir," replied I.I had no idea of a night-glass; and as I observed that about this time his servant brought him up a glass of grog, I thought it very lucky that I knew what he meant.