e "Caroline" was one which a seaman will readily
understand. She had forged so far ahead as to lie directly on the
weather-beam of the stranger, but too near to enable her to fall-off in
the least, without imminent danger that the vessels would come foul. The
wind was inconstant, sometimes blowing in puffs, while at moments there
was a perfect lull. As the ship felt the former, her tall masts bent
gracefully towards the slaver, as if to make the parting salute; but,
relieved from the momentary pressure of the inconstant air, she as often
rolled heavily to windward, without advancing a foot. The effect of each
change, however, was to bring her still nigher to her dangerous neighbour,
until it became evident, to the judgment of the youngest seaman in the
vessel, that nothing but a sudden shift of wind could enable her to pass
ahead, the more especially as the tide was on the change.

As the inferior officers of the "Caroline" were not delicate in their
commentaries on the dulness which had brought them into so awkward and so
mortifying a position, the pilot endeavoured to conceal his own vexation,
by the number and vociferousness of his orders. From blustering, he soon
passed into confusion, until the men themselves stood idle, not knowing
which of the uncertain and contradictory mandates they received ought to
be first obeyed. In the mean time, Wilder had folded his arms with an
appearance of entire composure, and taken his station near his female
passengers. Mrs Wyllys closely studied his eye, with the wish of
ascertaining, by its expression, the nature and extent of their danger, if
danger there might be, in the approaching collision of two ships in water
that was perfectly smooth, and where one was stationary and the motion of
the other scarcely perceptible. The stern, determined look she saw
settling about the brow of the young man excited an uneasiness that she
would not otherwise have felt, perhaps, under circumstances that, in
themselves, bore no very vivid appearance of hazard.

"Have we aught to apprehend, sir?" demanded the governess, endeavouring to
conceal from her charge the nature of her own disquietude.

"I told you, Madam, the 'Caroline' would prove an unlucky ship."

Both females regarded the peculiarly bitter smile with which Wilder made
this reply as an evil omen, and Gertrude clung to her companion as to one
on whom she had long been accustomed to lean.

"Why do not the mariners of the slaver appea