The Pilot

e rights, boys!

o

th rapidity, from the ocean, while a distinct but distant roaring announced the sure approach of the tempest that had so long troubled the waters. Even Griffith, while thundering his orders through the trumpet, and urging the men, by his cries, to expedition, would pause, for instants, to cast

quick succession, appeared as if he held no interest in the important stake. With his eye steadily fixed

into the folds necessary to her security, when the quick and heavy fluttering of canvas was thrown across the water, wit

d on, like himself, to the last moment.-God send that the

and she must be over the principal danger. We are falling

deck before he returned any reply to this question-like a man who not only fe

in destruction to be taken aback; and it is difficult to

cried Griffith; "for here it

brought as near to the desired course as the direction of the wind would allow. The hurry and bustle on the yards gradually subsided, and the men slowly descended to the deck, all straining their eyes to pierce the gloom in which they were enveloped, and some shaking their heads, in melancholy doubt, afraid to express the apprehensions they really entertained. All on board anxiously waited for the fury of the gale; for there were none so ignorant or inexperienced in that gallant frigate, as not to know that

nxiety; "but it is no more than a capful of wind after all. Give us elbow-room, and the ri

under this sail?" said the

he vessel don't float the ocean that will tack under double-reefed topsails alone, against a hea

moving from the side of Griffith to the weather gangway of the vessel, where he stood

like a heavy bank of black fog above the margin of the waters, and was only distinguishable from the heavens by its deeper gloom and obscurity. The last rope was coiled, and deposited in its proper place, by the seamen, and for several minutes the stillness of death pervaded the crowded decks. It was evident to every one, that their ship was dashing at a pr

the chains, Mr. Gray," he

and, as he leaned over the hammock-cloths of the vessel, and his whole air was that of one whose thoughts wandered from the pressing necessity of their situation. Griffith was among those who had approached the pilot; and after

diate answer was made to this repetition of the question, and Griffith laid his hand unceremoniously on the shoulder of the other, with a

with you to your stations, and see all clear for stays." The dense mass of heads dissolved, at this order, like the

th; "remember our compact, and look to your charge-is it no

arm of the lieutenant, and grasped it wi

of life; but should you live fifty years longer, you never can see and exper

ent, the young sailor was at a loss for a reply; but as his duty was upper

vely," he said, "and the daylight showed us so much to dread, that we do not fe

ed towards the commander of the frigate, as he replied, in a

s all darkness and gloom, to me is as light as if a noon-day sun shone upon it. But tack your ship, sir, ta

ly realized by the result. The helm was no sooner put a-lee, than the huge ship bore up gallantly against the wind, and, dashing directly through the waves, threw the foam high into the air, as she looked boldly into the very eye of the wind; and then, yielding gracefully to its power, she fell off on the other tack, with her head pointed from those dangerous shoals that

urges rose above the heavy billows, and the very air was glittering with the light that was disengaged from the ocean. The ship yielded, each moment, more and more before the storm, and in less than half an hour from the time that she had lifted her anchor, she was driven along with tremendous fury by the full

to the responsibility of his situation. But when the land was becoming dim, in distance as well as darkness, and the agitated sea alone was to be discovered as it swept

rue tide and the real danger. Place the best quartermaster of your ship in those c

f," said the captain; "pass a lig

ed the pilot, with startling qu

assigned station, awaiting the issue of the trial. Even the quartermaster at the cun gave out his orders to the men

he called "By the mark seven," rose above the tempest, crossed over the decks, and appe

ned the pilot, cal

ucceeded by another c

!" exclaimed Griffith:

t, with those cool tones that are most appalling in critical

r," was followed by a prompt dir

ss of the pilot, in issuing the neces

e sails were shaking violently, as if to release themselves from their confinement, while the ship stem

breakers, d

t to be lingering about the sh

s on our

ay," cried the commander. "She loses he

bower!" shouted Griffi

e that reached the very hearts of all

ing stranger who thus defied the discipl

not enough that you run the ship into danger, but yo

blowing about in the wind and adding a look of wildness to the haggard care that he exh

the deck, and as he walked proudly aw

mong the rest the foolish hopes

, and as the efforts of the crew were paralyzed by the contradictory orders they had h

ndered forth his orders. Each command was given distinctly, and with a precision that showed him to be master of his profession. The helm was

ud-but he was also generous. Forgetting his resentment and his mortification, he rushed forward among the men, and, by his presence and example, added certainty to the experiment. The ship fell off slowly before the gal

od. When the ship had fallen off dead before the wind, her head-sails were shaken, her after-yards trimmed, and her helm shifted, before she had time to run upon the danger that had threatened, as well to leeward as to windward. The beautiful f

pierce the darkness with a keenness of vision that exceeded human power. It was apparent to all in the vessel that they were under the guidance of one who understood the navigation thoroughly, and their exertions kept pace with their reviving confidence. Again and again the frigate appeared to be rushing blindly on shoals where the sea was covered with foam, and where destruction would have been as sudden as it was certain, when the clear voice of the stranger was heard warning them of the danger, and inciting them to their duty. The vessel was implicitly yielded to his gover

hip behaves well, we are safe-but if other

his portentous notice, and calling to his first lieutenan

king, at times, in the ocean. Now observe the hummock, a little north of it, looking like a shadow in the horizon-'t

ain," exclaimed

ok his head,

ass out of the shoals on this course; and if we can weather the 'Devil's Grip,' we cl

we entered," exclaimed Griffit

lemen, we must be prompt; we have but a mile to go, and the ship appears to fly. Th

en canvas in such a tempest!"

"we perish without it-see the light already touches

riffith, seizing the trumpe

of the heavy sail seemed to bid defiance to all restraint, shaking the ship to her centre; but art and strength prevailed, and gradually the canvas was distended, and bellying as it filled, was drawn down to its usual place by the power of a

said, "the light opens from the hummock already: i

thing resembling a white cloud was seen drifting before the wind from

e commander of the frigate. "This is no time to sp

" returned the lieutenant; "but the

w, gentlemen, we shall soon know ou

long this narrow path the vessel moved more heavily than before, being brought so near the wind as to keep her sails touching. The pilot silently proceeded to the wheel, and, with his own hands, he undertook the steerage of the ship. No noise proceeded from the frigate to interrupt the horrid tumult of the ocean; and she entered the channel among the breakers, with the silence of a desperate calmness. Twenty times, as the foam rolled away to leeward, the crew were on the eve of uttering their joy, as they supposed the vessel past the danger; but breaker after breaker would

the yards!-

long the channel before the wind. The eye had hardly time to dwell on the foam, which seemed like clouds driving in

from a trance, when Griffith approached the man who had so successfully conducted t

elf a faithful pilot, and such a

s warmly returned by the un

my grave in them. But you, too, have deceived me

asked Griffith, ob

y such ships as this," said the stranger,

rise; but, as his duty required his atten

ns were made for her security during its continuance. Before midnight, everything was in order. A gun from the Ariel soon announced the safety of the schooner also, which had gone out by a

his thoughts would recur to the pilot, who, taken from the hostile shores of Britain, and with her accent on his tongue, had served them so faithfully and so well. He remembered the anxiety of Captain Munson to procure this stranger, at the very hazard from which they had just been relieved, and puzzled himself with conjecturing why a pilot was to be sought at such a risk. His more private feelings would then resume their