ink,
though I have little reason to believe he has any honesty to cast into the
sea. What has become of him?"

"A question easily asked, but hard to answer. In the first place, though
an old and a gray-headed fellow, he twitched his skiff along as if it
floated in air. We were not a minute, or two at the most, behind him; but,
when we got on the other side of the slaver, boat and man had vanished!"

"He doubled her bows while you were crossing the stern."

"Did you see him, then?"

"I confess we did not."

"It could not be, sir; since we pulled far enough ahead to examine on both
sides at once; besides, the people of the slaver knew nothing of him."

"You saw the slaver's people?"

"I should have said her man; for there is seemingly but one hand on board
her."

"And how was he employed?"

"He was seated in the chains, and seem'd to have been asleep. It is a lazy
ship, sir; and one that takes more money from her owners, I fancy, than it
ever returns!"

"It may be so. Well, let the rogue escape. There is the prospect of a
breeze coming in from the sea, Mr Earing; we will get our topsails to the
mast-heads again, and be in readiness for it. I could like yet to see the
sun set in the water."

The mates and the crew went cheerfully to their task, though many a
curious question was asked, by the wondering seamen, of their shipmates
who had been in the boat, and many a solemn answer was given, while they
were again spreading the canvas, to invite the breeze. Wilder turned, in
the mean time, to Mrs Wyllys, who had been an auditor of his short
conversation with the mate.

"You perceive, Madam," he said, "that our voyage does not commence without
its omens."

"When you tell me, inexplicable young man, with the air of singular
sincerity you sometimes possess, that we are unwise in trusting to the
ocean, I am half inclined to put faith in what you say; but when you
attempt to enforce your advice with the machinery of witchcraft, you only
induce me to proceed."

"Man the windlass!" cried Wilder, with a look that seemed to tell his
companions, If you are so stout of heart, the opportunity to show your
resolution shall not be wanting. "Man the windlass there! We will try the
breeze again, and work the ship into the offing while there is light."

The clattering of handspikes preceded the mariners song. Then the heavy
labour, by which the ponderous iron was lifted from the bottom, was again
resumed, and, in a few mor