e possession of my
cabin, where all will be at your disposal; ere the middle watch is called
I shall be there to prevent the pennant from coming down, and your
sea-green flag turning the people's heads from their allegiance."

Ludlow then whispered his orders to his cockswain, and they separated. The
barge proceeded to the mouth of the river, with the long and stately sweep
of the oars, that marks the progress of a man-of-war's boat; while the
skiff followed, noiselessly and, aided by its color and dimensions, nearly
invisible.

When the two boats entered the waters of the bay, the barge held on its
course towards the distant ship; while the skiff inclined to the right,
and steered directly for the bottom of the Cove. The precaution of the
dealer in contraband had provided his little boat with muffled sculls; and
Ludlow, when he was enabled to discover the fine tracery of the lofty and
light spars of the Water-Witch, as they rose above the tops of the dwarf
trees that lined the shore, had no reason to think his approach was known.
Once assured of the presence and position of the brigantine, he was
enabled to make his advances with all the caution that might be necessary.

Some ten or fifteen minutes were required to bring the skiff beneath the
bowsprit of the beautiful craft, without giving the alarm to those who
doubtless were watching on her decks. The success of our adventurer,
however, appeared to be complete; for he was soon holding by the cable,
and not the smallest sound, of any kind, had been heard in the brigantine.
Ludlow now regretted he had not entered the Cove with his barge; for, so
profound and unsuspecting was the quiet of the vessel, that he doubted not
of his ability to have carried her by a coup-de-main. Vexed by his
oversight, and incited by the prospects of success, he began to devise
those expedients which would naturally suggest themselves to a seaman in
his situation.

The wind was southerly, and, though not strong it was charged with the
dampness and heaviness of the night air. As the brigantine lay protected
from the influence of the tides, she obeyed the currents of the other
element; and, while her bows looked outward, her stern pointed towards the
bottom of the basin. The distance from the land was not fifty fathoms, and
Ludlow did not fail to perceive that the vessel rode by a kedge, and that
her anchors, of which there was a good provision, were all snugly stowed.
These facts induced th