r few live under fairer or
more beneficent--But I tire you with these opinions, when here are colors
that have more charms for a young and lively imagination, than even the
tints of nature!"

La belle Barberie smiled on the dealer in contraband, with an interest
that sickened Ludlow; and she was about to reply, in better humor, when
the voice of her uncle announced his near approach.

Chapter XXIV.

"There shall be, in England, seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny.
The three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony,
to drink small beer."--Jack Cade.

Had Alderman Van Beverout been a party in the preceding dialogue, he could
not have uttered words more apposite, than the exclamation with which he
first saluted the ears of those in the pavilion.

"Gales and climates!" exclaimed the merchant, entering with an open letter
in his hand. "Here are advices received, by way of Curacoa, and the coast
of Africa, that the good ship Musk-Rat met with foul winds off the Azores,
which lengthened her passage home to seventeen weeks--this is too much
precious time wasted between markets, Captain Cornelius Ludlow, and 'twill
do discredit to the good character of the ship, which has hitherto always
maintained a sound reputation, never needing more than the regular seven
months to make the voyage home and out again. If our vessels fall into
this lazy train, we shall never get a skin to Bristol, till it is past
use. What have we here, niece? Merchandise! and of a suspicious
fabric!--who has the invoice of these goods, and in what vessel were they
shipped?"

"These are questions that may be better answered by their owner;" returned
la Belle, pointing gravely, and not without tremor in her voice, towards
the dealer in contraband, who, at the approach of the Alderman, had shrunk
back as far as possible from view.

Myndert cast an uneasy glance at the unmoved countenance of the commander
of the royal cruiser, after having bestowed a brief but understanding look
at the contents of the bale. "Captain Ludlow, the chaser is chased!" he
said. "After sailing about the Atlantic, for a week or more, like a Jew
broker's clerk running up and down the Boom Key at Rotterdam, to get off a
consignment of damaged tea, we are fairly caught ourselves! To what fall
in prices, or change in the sentiments of the Board of Trade, am I
indebted for the honor of this visit, Master a--a--a--gay dealer in green
ladies a