, Ludlow, thy tongue is silent, but that
honest countenance confesses all!"

The gay dealer in contraband turned away, and laughed in his merriest
manner.

"I knew it would be so," he continued, "what is the absence of one humble
actor from her train. Trust me, you will find her coy as ever, and
ill-disposed to hold converse with a cruiser who speaks so rudely through
his cannon. Ha!--here are auditors!"

An officer, to announce the near approach of a boat, entered. Both Ludlow
and his prisoner started at this intelligence, and it was not difficult to
fancy both believed that a message from the Water-Witch might be expected.
The former hastened on deck; while the latter, notwithstanding a
self-possession that was so much practised, could not remain entirely at
his ease. He passed into the state-room, and it is more than probable that
he availed himself of the window of its quarter-gallery, to reconnoitre
those who were so unexpectedly coming to the ship.

But after the usual hail and reply, Ludlow no longer anticipated any
proposal from the brigantine. The answer had been what a seaman would call
lubberly; or it wanted that attic purity that men of the profession rarely
fail to use on all occasions, and by the means of which they can tell a
pretender to their mysteries, with a quickness that is almost instinctive.
When the short, quick "boat-ahoy!" of the sentinel on the gangway, was
answered by the "what do you want?" of a startled respondent in the boat,
it was received among the crew of the Coquette with such a sneer as the
tyro, who has taken two steps in any particular branch of knowledge, is
apt to bestow on the blunders of him who has taken but one.

A deep silence reigned, while a party consisting of two men and as many
females mounted the side of the ship, leaving a sufficient number of forms
behind them in the boat to man its oars. Notwithstanding more than one
light was held in such a manner as would have discovered the faces of the
strangers had they not all been closely muffled, the party passed into
the cabin without recognition.

"Master Cornelius Ludlow, one might as well put on the Queen's livery at
once, as to be steering in this uncertain manner, between the Coquette and
the land, like a protested note sent from endorser to endorser, to be
paid," commenced Alderman Van Beverout, uncasing himself in the great
cabin with the coolest deliberation, while his niece sunk into a chair
unbidden, her two