The young man paused, for his gaze had unconsciously become riveted on the
rings of the hand he held. Alida understood the look, and, drawing one of
the jewels, she offered it with a smile that was as attractive as her
beauty.

"One of these may be spared," she said. "Take it, Ludlow; and when thy
present duty shall be performed, return it, as a gage that I have promised
thee that no explanation which you may have a right to ask shall be
withheld."

The young man took the ring, and forced it on the smallest of his fingers,
in a mechanical manner, and with a bewildered look, that seemed to inquire
if some one of those which remained was not the token of a plighted faith.
It is probable that he might have continued the discourse, had not a gun
been fired from the enemy. It recalled him to the more serious business of
the hour. Already more than half disposed to believe all he could wish, he
raised the fair hand, which had just bestowed the boon, to his lips, and
rushed upon deck.

"The Monsieur is beginning to bluster;" said Trysail, who had witnessed
the descent of his commander, at that moment and on such an errand, with
great dissatisfaction. "Although his shot fell short, it is too much to
let a Frenchman have the credit of first word."

"He has merely given the weather gun, the signal of defiance. Let him
come down, and he will not find us in a hurry to leave him!"

"No, no: as for that, we are snug enough!" returned the master, chuckling
as he surveyed the half-naked spars, and the light top-hamper, to which he
had himself reduced the ship. "If running is to be our play, we have made
a false move at the beginning of the game. These top-sails, spanker, and
jib, make a show that says more for bottom than for speed. Well, come what
will of this affair, it will leave me a master, though it is beyond the
power of the best duke in England to rob me of my share of the honor!"

With this consolation for his perfectly hopeless condition as respects
promotion, the old seaman walked forward, examining critically into the
state of the vessel; while his young commander, having cast a look about
him, motioned to his prisoner and the Alderman to follow to the poop.

"I do not pretend to inquire into the nature of the tie which unites you
with some in this ship," Ludlow commenced, addressing his words to
Seadrift, though he kept his gaze on the recent gift of Alida; "but, that
it must be strong, is evident by the interest th