casion to say in your favour."

Wilder execrated, in his heart, the wary cunning of the rogue with whom he
was compelled, for the moment, to be in league; for he saw plainly that a
determination not to commit himself a tittle further than he might
conceive to be absolutely necessary, was likely to render Joram too
circumspect, to answer his own immediate wishes. After hesitating a
moment, in order to reflect, he continued hastily,--

"You see that the ship is gathering way too fast to admit of trifling.
You know of the letter I received this morning?"

"Bless me, Captain Wilder! Do you take me for a postmaster? How should I
know what letters arrive at Newport, and what stop on the main?"

"As timid a villain as he is thorough!" muttered the young mariner. "But
this much you may surely say, Am I to be followed immediately? or is it
expected that I should detain the ship in the offing, under any pretence
that I can devise?"

"Heaven keep you, young gentleman! These are strange questions, to come
from one who is fresh off the sea, to a man that has done no more than
look at it from the land, these five-and-twenty years. According to my
memory, sir, you will keep the ship about south until you are clear of the
islands; and then you must make your calculations according to the wind,
in order not to get into the Gulf, where, you know, the stream will be
setting you one way, while your orders say, 'Go another.'"

"Luff! mind your luff, sir!" cried the pilot, in a stern voice, to the man
at the helm; "luff you can; on no account go to leeward of the slaver!"

Both Wilder and the publican started, as if they found something alarming
in the name of the vessel just alluded to; and the former pointed to the
skiff, as he said,--

"Unless you wish to go to sea with us, Mr Joram, it is time your boat held
its master."

"Ay, ay, I see you are fairly under way, and I must leave you, however
much I like your company," returned the landlord of the 'Foul Anchor,'
bustling over the side, and getting into his skiff in the best manner he
could. "Well, boys, a good time to ye; a plenty of wind, and of the right
sort; a safe passage out, and a quick return. Cast off."

His order was obeyed; the light skiff, no longer impelled by the ship,
immediately deviated from its course; and, after making a little circuit,
it became stationary, while the mass of the vessel passed on, with the
steadiness of an elephant from whose back a butterfly