past midnight now, and I
must be up by four; for at that hour the boat must go off for the
first batch of our new hands."

Day broke, just as the last batch of men were brought on board. As
soon as these had gone below the whistle was sounded, the old crew
came up on deck, and the preparations for making sail commenced.
The anchor was hove short, the lashings of the sails were loosened,
the flags run up to the mast heads, the last casks and bales
lowered into the hold, the hatches put on, and the decks washed
down.

Before these preparations were all complete, a little group was
seen, standing at the end of the wharf.

"There is your good wife, Diggory, and the girls. She has kept her
word to be up, betimes, to see the last of us."

At last all was ready, and Diggory shook hands with Reuben, and
turned to Roger, when the captain said:

"The lad can go in charge of the boat that takes you ashore,
Diggory, and just say another word of parting to them there."

In five minutes, Roger stood on the wharf.

"I cannot wait, Cousin Mercy," he said, "for all is ready for
hoisting the anchor; but my father said I might just come ashore,
for one more goodbye."

"May God protect you, Roger," Mistress Mercy said, as she folded
him in a motherly embrace. "We shall all pray for you, daily and
nightly, until you return. Goodbye, Roger! Don't imperil your life
needlessly, but be prudent and careful."

"For your sake, Dorothy," he whispered, as he kissed her.

"Yes, for my sake, Roger," she said softly.

Agnes hung round his neck, crying loudly, and her mother had to
unclasp the child's fingers.

"God bless you all," said Roger hoarsely, and then ran down the
steps, and leaped into the stern of the boat.

When he gained the deck of the Swan, the boat was hoisted in, and
the men began to heave round the windlass. As soon as the anchor
was up, the sails were sheeted home; and the Swan, yielding to the
light breeze off the land, began to make her way through the water.
Roger, from the poop, waved his cap in reply to the signals of
farewell from shore; and then, running down into the waist, busied
himself with the work of the ship, until they were too far away
from the land for the figures there to be any longer visible.

The rest of the crew now came on deck, and all were mustered in
watches. Reuben Hawkshaw, standing on the edge of the poop, then
said a few words to them.

"Men," he said, "I dare say there is some wonde