re long, she lost
the wind altogether, though we carried it on till we got within about a
mile of her. We then found that the boatswain was right; indeed, it is
easy to know an American merchantman by her light-coloured hull, breadth
of beam, low masts, square yards, and white canvas.

As we lay rolling away, a boat was lowered from the stranger, from whose
peak the stars and stripes hung down, so that none but a practical eye
could have made out the flag.

The boat came alongside, and a gentleman, in a broad-brimmed straw hat
and jean jacket, stepped on board, with a cigar in his mouth, and
walking aft with the greatest coolness, put out his hand to Captain
Collyer, who, looking true dignity itself, was standing on the
quarter-deck, with his officers round him. Not a little electrified was
he by the address now made him.

"How goes it with you, skipper?" quoth the stranger, almost wringing his
hand off. "You've a neat little craft under your feet, I guess, but
we've got some who'd wallop her in pretty smart time. You'd like to
know who I am? I'm Captain Nathan Noakes; I command that ship there,
the Hickory Stick, and I should like to see her equal. She's the craft
to go, let me tell you. When the breeze comes, I'll soon show you the
pair of heels she's got. We'll run away from you like greased
lightning, I guess."

"She looks a fine vessel, sir," said Captain Collyer, too polite to turn
away, as some men I have known might have done.

"She is, sir," said the American master with emphasis.

"I calculate she'd sail twice round the world while you was going once;
but don't rile, now, at what I say--you can't help it, you know. Come,
take a cigar--they're real Havanna."

"Thank you, sir, I do not smoke," said our captain with naturally
increasing stiffness, "nor is it customary, I must observe, for any one
to do so on the quarter-deck of his Britannic Majesty's ships."

"Ah! that's the difference between slavery and freedom," answered the
stranger, with most amusing effrontery, lighting another cigar as he
spoke. "You serve the tyrant King George. I serve myself, and no one
else, and I like my master best of the two; but I pity you--you can't
help it."

Some of the officers were very indignant at the impudence of the Yankee
captain; others were highly amused, and I believe Captain Collyer was,
for he turned away at last to hide his laughter. Nothing, however,
seemed to abash the skipper.

"Well, yo