ons for departure; the news spread
immediately throughout the city, and, as we have seen, a great
concourse of spectators thronged the piers of the New Prince's Docks.

[Illustration: "The news spread immediately throughout the city, and a
great concourse of spectators thronged the piers."]

A great many people came on board the brig,--some to bid a friend good
by, or to urge him to leave the ship, or to gaze at this strange
vessel; others to ascertain the object of the voyage; and there were
many murmurs at the unusual silence of the commander.

For that he had his reasons.

Ten o'clock struck. Eleven. The tide was to turn at half past twelve.
Shandon, from the upper deck, gazed with anxious eyes at the crowd,
trying in vain to read on some one's face the secret of his fate. But
in vain. The sailors of the _Forward_ obeyed his orders in silence,
keeping their eyes fixed upon him, ever awaiting some information
which he did not give.

Johnson was finishing the preparations for setting sail. The day was
overcast, and the sea, outside of the docks, rather high; a stiff
southwest breeze was blowing, but they could easily leave the Mersey.

At twelve o'clock still nothing. Dr. Clawbonny walked up and down
uneasily, looking about, gesticulating, and "impatient for the sea,"
as he said. In spite of all he could do, he felt excited. Shandon bit
his lips till the blood came.

At this moment Johnson came up to him and said,--

"Commander, if we are going to take this tide, we must lose no time;
it will be a good hour before we can get off from the docks."

Shandon cast one last glance about him, and looked at his watch. It
was after the time of the midday distribution of letters.

"Cast off!" he said to his boatswain.

"All ashore who are going!" cried the latter, ordering the spectators
to leave the deck of the _Forward_.

Thereupon the crowd, began to move toward the gangway and make its way
on to the quay, while the crew began to cast off the last moorings.

At once the inevitable confusion of the crowd, which was pushed about
without much ceremony by the sailors, was increased by the barking of
the dog. He suddenly sprang from the forecastle right through the mass
of visitors, barking sullenly.

All made way for him. He sprang on the poop-deck, and, incredible as
it may seem, yet, as a thousand witnesses can testify, this
dog-captain carried a letter in his mouth.

[Illustration]

"A letter!" cried Shando