an
ordinary journey of a week. Such, did the deacon well know, was the
character of those with whom he had now to deal, and he foresaw the
necessity of the utmost caution, perseverance, diligence, and activity.

Philip Hazard, the mate mentioned by Roswell Gardiner, was enjoined to
lose no time; and the men engaged for the voyage soon began to cross the
Sound, and to make their appearance on board the schooner. As for the
craft herself, she had all that was necessary for her wants below hatches;
and the deacon began to manifest some impatience for the appearance of two
or three men of particular excellence, of whom Phil Hazard was in quest,
and whom Captain Gardiner had made it a point should be obtained. Little
did the worthy owner suspect that the Vineyard people were tampering with
these very hands, and keeping them from coming to terms, in order that
they might fit out a second Sea Lion, which they had now been preparing
for near a month; having purchased her at New Bedford, with a view to
profit by the imperfect information that had reached them, through the
masters of the brig and sloop. The identity in the name was accidental,
or, it might be better to say, had been naturally enough suggested by the
common nature of the enterprise; but, once existing, it had been the means
of suggesting to the Vineyard company a scheme of confounding the vessels,
out of which they hoped to reap some benefit, but which it would be
premature now fully to state.

After a delay of several days, Hazard sent across from Stonington a man by
the name of Watson, who had the reputation of being a first-class sealer.
This accession was highly prized; and, in the absence of his mates, both
of whom were out looking for hands, Roswell Gardiner, to whom command was
still novel, consulted freely with this experienced and skillful mariner.
It was fortunate for the schemes of the deacon that he had left his young
master still in the dark, as respected his two great secrets. Gardiner
understood that the schooner was to go after seals, sea-lions,
sea-elephants, and all animals of the genus _phoca;_ but he had been told
nothing concerning the revelations of Daggett, or of the real motives that
had induced him to go so far out of his usual course, in the pursuit of
gain. We say it was fortunate that the deacon had been so wary; for Watson
had no intention whatever to sail out of Oyster Pond, having been actually
engaged as the second officer of the ri