you shall soon grapple with half an
ox."

Wilder, who had approached the outer door of the tavern as the mob
receded, witnessed the retreat of the two worthies into the recesses of
the house, and immediately entered the bar-room himself. While
deliberating on the manner in which he should arrive at a communication
with his new confederate, without attracting too much attention to so odd
an association, the landlord returned in person to relieve him. After
casting a hasty glance around the apartment, his look settled on our
adventurer, whom he approached in a manner half-doubting, half-decided.

"What success, sir, in looking for a ship?" he demanded now recognizing,
for the first time, the stranger with whom he had before held converse
that morning. "More hands than places to employ them?"

"I am not sure it will so prove. In my walk on the hill, I met an old
seaman, who"--

"Hum!" interrupted the publican, with an intelligible though stolen, sign
to follow. "You will find it more convenient, sir, to take your breakfast
in another room." Wilder followed his conductor, who left the public
apartment by a different door from that by which he had led his other
guest into the interior of the house, wondering at the air of mystery that
the innkeeper saw fit to assume on the occasion. After leading him by a
circuitous passage. The latter showed Wilder, in profound silence, up a
private stair-way, into the very attic of the building. Here he rapped
lightly at a door, and was bid to enter, by a voice that caused our
adventurer to start by its deepness and severity. On finding him self,
however, in a low and confined room, he saw no other occupant than the
seaman who had just been greeted by the publican as an old acquaintance
and by a name to which he might, by his attire, well lay claim to be
entitled--that of tarry Bob. While Wilder was staring about him, a good
deal surprised at the situation in which he was placed, the landlord
retired, and he found himself alone with his confederate. The latter was
already engaged in discussing the fragment of the ox, just mentioned, and
in quaffing of some liquid that seemed equally adapted to his taste,
although sufficient time had not certainly been allowed to prepare the
beverage he had seen fit to order. Without allowing his visiter leisure
for much further reflection, the old mariner made a motion to him to take
the only vacant chair in the room, while he continued his employment o