" demanded Wilder, jumping hastily on a gun, in
order to get a better view.

His mate pointed to the lee-quarter of the other vessel, where, sure
enough, a large rope was seen whipping the water, as though in the very
process of being extended. The truth instantly flashed on the mind of our
young mariner. The Rover lay secret-moored with a spring, with a view to
bring; his guns more readily to bear upon the battery, should his defence
become necessary, and he now profited, by the circumstance, in order to
prevent the trader from passing to leeward. The whole arrangement excited
a good deal of surprise, and not a few execrations among the officers of
the "Caroline;" though none but her Commander had the smallest twinkling
of the real reason why the kedge had thus been laid, and why a warp was so
awkwardly stretched across their path. Of the whole number, the pilot
alone saw cause to rejoice in the circumstance. He had, in fact, got the
ship in such a situation, as to render it nearly as difficult to proceed
in one way as in the other; and he was now furnished with a sufficient
justification, should any accident occur, in the course of the exceedingly
critical manoeuvre, from whose execution there was now no retreat.

"This is an extraordinary liberty to take in the mouth of a harbour,"
muttered Wilder, when his eyes put him in possession of the fact just
related. "You must shove her by to windward, pilot; there is no remedy."

"I wash my hands of the consequences, as I call all on board to witness,"
returned the other, with the air of a deeply offended man, though secretly
glad of the appearance of being driven to the very measure he was a minute
before so obstinately bent on executing, "Law must be called in here, if
sticks are snapped, or rigging parted. Luff to a hair, boy; luff her short
into the wind, and try a half-board."

The man at the helm obeyed the order. Releasing his hold of its spokes,
the wheel made a quick evolution; and the ship, feeling a fresh impulse of
the wind, turned her head heavily towards the quarter whence it came, the
canvas fluttering with a noise like that produced by a flock of water-fowl
just taking wing. But, met by the helm again, she soon fell off as before,
powerless from having lost her way, and settling bodily down toward the
fancied slaver, impelled by the air, which seemed, however, to have lost
much of its force, at the critical instant it was most needed.

The situation of th