The Pilot

ter! ay! t

man loves to sp

lushes of the l

s a smile, each

u

deck above him. He threw himself, listlessly, from his cot, and perceiving the officer of marines near him, as his servant opened the do

or them to read. It seems as if all hands were asleep on board her, for we have shown her sig

y," returned Griffith. "Brown Dick has played the Englis

cornet, and that spells Ariel, in every signal-book we have; sur

in truth, I suppose that Barnstable has been, like myself, keeping a dead reckonin

oom, a heavy wind, and but little sail, and he will send his men below, put that fellow he cal

leeves of a morning round-about, covered with the gilded trappings of his profession; "sleep appears to come most naturally t

tateroom, and Griffith proceeded through the dark wardroom, up the narrow stairs that led him to th

, which the wind, at times, lifted from its kindred element, to propel in mist, through the air, from summit to summit. But the ship r

obeying the signal which had caused the dialogue we have related. Her low black hull was barely discernible, at moments, when she rose to the crest of a larger wave than common; but the spot of canvas that she exposed to the wind was to be seen, seeming to touch the water on either hand, as the little vessel rolled amid the s

cast his eyes upward to examine, with the keenness of a seaman, the disposition of th

is face appeared rather characterized by melancholy and thought, than by that determined decision which he had so powerfully displayed in the moments of their most extreme danger; but Griffith well knew that it could also exhibit looks of the fiercest impatience. At present, it appeared, to the curious youth, when compared to the glimpses he had caught by the lights of their lanterns, like the ocean at rest, contrasted with the waters around him. The eyes of the pilot rested on the deck, or, when they did wander, it was with uneasy and rapid glanc

ceived, the Ariel rounded to, and drawing ahead into the smooth water occasioned by the huge fabric that protected her from the gale, the whale-boat was again launched from

the side of the ship. The little vessel was then veered off to a distance, where it rode in safety

e deck; and though every hand was ready to be extended toward the reckless seaman, none presumed to exceed the s

e he stood in the utmost composure, fixing his eyes aloft, and shaking his head in evident dissatisfaction, as he studied the complicated mass of rigging above him. This spectacle soon attracted

natural temper or ordinary deportment of the man, the remainder of the officers suffered their first lieutenant to follow him alone, believing that duty required that their interview should be private. Barnstable was determined that it should be so, at all events; for he seized the lamp from the mess-table, and entered the stateroom of his friend, clo

shore, to be led to the prison-ships of these islanders, when I saw your lights in answer to my gun. Had you hoisted the conscience of a murderer, you wouldn't have

there was a gray-head on board here, that began to shake with displeasure," interrupted Griffith; "truly, Dick, you will get into lubberly ha

discipline as if we wore a flag. To be sure, forty men can't make as much parade as t

loth. But I hold it to be un-seamanlike to leave any vessel without human e

lty of such a d

the tiller, tell him to keep her head to sea, and then pipe all hands to their night-caps, where you al

e, with an indignation that he in vain attempted to con

panion, in the vacant air of one who was careless of everything; "but I don't believe half of it myself

w signal-book, Griffith, that has a thousand times more interest for me th

nd out the Englishm

friend. "I met last night one on those cliffs, who has proved herself what I alwa

m do yo

ather

aving it now pale as death, and then burning as if oppressed by a torrent from his heart. Struggling to overcome an emotion, which he appeared

she a

aper and this invaluable book, which

tter which was laid on the table for his perusal. The reader will at once understand that it was in the handwriting of a fem

ve prepared a short statement of the situation of Cecila Howard and myself; not, however, to urge you and Griffith to any ra

nel received the intelligence as such a guardian would hear that his ward was about to throw away thirty thousand dollars and herself on a traitor to his king and country. I defended you stoutly: said that you had no king, as the tie was dissolved; that America was your country, and that your profession was honorable; but it would not all do. He called you rebel; that I was used to. He said you were a traitor; that, in his vocabulary, amounts to the same thing. He even hinted that you were a coward; and that I knew to be false, and did not hesitate to tell him so. He used fifty opprobrious terms that I cannot remember; but among others were the beautiful epithets of 'disorganizer,' 'leveller, 'democrat,' and 'jacobin' (I hope he did not mean a monk!). In short, he acted Colonel Howard in a rage. But as his dominion does not, like that of his favorite kings, continue from gener

a watch has been kept over us as if we had meditated a renewal of the Carolina flight. The colonel, on his arrival here, hired an old building, that is, part house, part abbey, part castle, and all prison; because it is said to have once belonged to an ancestor of his. In this delightful dwelling there are many cages that will secure more uneasy birds than we are. About a fortnight ago an alarm was given in a neighboring village which is situated on the shore, that two American vessels, ans

as useful to refer to, properly numbered to correspond with the key and the flags, all of which I shall send you with this letter. You must prepare your own flags, and of course I retain mine, as well as a copy of the key and book. If opportunity should ever offer, we can have, at least, a pleasant discourse together; you from the top of the old tower in the ruins, and I from the east window of my dressing-room! But now for the garrison. In addition to the commandant, Colonel Howard, who retains all the fierceness of his former military profession, there is, as his second in authority, that bane of Cecilia's happiness, Kit Dillon, with his long Savannah face, scornful eyes of black, and skin of the same color. This gentleman, you know, is a distant relative of the Howards, and wishes to be more nearly allied. He is poor, it is true, but then, as the colonel daily remarks, he is a good and loyal subject, and no rebel. When I asked why he was not in arms in these stirring times, contending for the prince he loves so much, the colonel answers that it is not his profession, that he has been educated for the law, and was destined to fill one of the highest judicial stations in the colonies, and that he hoped he should yet live to see him sentence certain nameless gentlemen to condign punishment. This was consoling, to be sure; bu

RINE P

l-book you will find a more particular description of our p

o the man to whom it was addressed, and fell back in h

ngth uttered; "and I thought that some lucky chance might throw her in my way; but this is bringing us close, inde

"'tis as clear, and as pretty, and as small, as her own

tress' letter, he smiled at their mutual folly, and continued silent. After a short time spent in cool reflection, Griffith inquired of his friend the na

urselves, who knows of this meeting, and he will be too

ffith," cried her lover; "'tis as spotle

ve conveyed more than I intended; but it is important that o

t it was exhibited, "and that, too, before the old man takes it into his wise head to

conversed freely with me on the nature of the cruise; but not a syllable

"wait till I come alongside him, with my eastern curiosi

fith, laughing; "you will find him as acute at evas

ow, I suppose, that he sent for me to attend a co

fixing his eyes intently on the

o me, the old man would turn and look at the stranger,

athom," said Griffith. "But I hear the voice of Manual calling for me; we are wa

the public we must retire to

ore formal appearance, and taking a sword carelessly in his hand, they proceeded together along the passage already