stward, and look well into the
mouth of the Raritan,--mark you any thing in that quarter?"

"Ha!--here is a speck on our lee quarter!"

"What do you make of it?"

"Unless sight deceives me greatly, Sir, there is a light boat pulling in
for the ship, about three cables' length distant"

Ludlow raised his own glass, and swept the water in the direction named.
After one or two unsuccessful trials, his eye caught the object; and as
the moon had now some power, he was at no loss to distinguish its
character. There was evidently a boat, and one that, by its movements, had
a design of holding communication with the cruiser.

The eye of a seaman is acute on his element, and his mind is quick in
forming opinions on all things that properly appertain to his profession.
Ludlow saw instantly, by the construction, that the boat was not one of
those sent from the ship; that it approached in a direction which enabled
it to avoid the Coquette, by keeping in a part of the bay where the water
was not sufficiently deep to admit of her passage; and that its movements
were so guarded as to denote great caution, while there was an evident
wish to draw as near to the cruiser as prudence might render advisable.
Taking a trumpet, he hailed in the well-known and customary manner.

The answer came up faintly against the air, but it was uttered with much
practice in the implement, and with an exceeding compass of voice.

"Ay, ay!" and, "a parley from the brigantine!" were the only words that
were distinctly audible.

For a minute or two, the young man paced the deck in silence. Then he
suddenly commanded the only boat which the cruiser now possessed, to be
lowered and manned.

"Throw an ensign into the stern-sheets," he said when these orders were
executed; "and let there be arms beneath it. We will keep faith while
faith is observed, but there are reasons for caution in this interview."

Trysail was directed to keep the ship stationary, and after giving to his
subordinate private instructions of importance in the event of treachery,
Ludlow went into the boat in person. A very few minutes sufficed to bring
the jolly-boat and the stranger so near each other, that the means of
communication were both easy and sure. The men of the former were then
commanded to cease rowing, and, raising his glass, the commander of the
cruiser took a more certain and minute survey of those who awaited his
coming. The strange boat was dancing on the waves, li