val Sea Lion, which had been
purchased at New Bedford, and was then in an active state of forwardness
in its equipments, with a view to compete with the craft that was still
lying so quietly and unconsciously alongside of Deacon Pratt's wharf. In a
word, Watson was a spy, sent across by the Vineyard-men, to ascertain all
he could of the intentions of the schooner's owner, to worm himself into
Gardiner's confidence, and to report, from time to time, the state of
things generally, in order that the East-enders might not get the start of
his real employers. It is a common boast of Americans that there are no
spies in their country. This may be true in the every-day signification of
the term, though it is very untrue in all others. This is probably the
most spying country in christendom, if the looking into other people's
concerns be meant. Extensive and recognised systems of _espionage_ exist
among merchants; and nearly every man connected with the press has
enlisted himself as a sort of spy in the interests of politics--many, in
those of other concerns, also. The reader, therefore, is not to run away
with impressions formed under general assertions that will scarce bear
investigation, and deny the truth of pictures that are drawn with
daguerreotype fidelity, because they do not happen to reflect the cant of
the day. The man Watson, who had partially engaged to go out in the Sea
Lion, captain Roswell Gardiner, was not only a spy, but a spy sent
covertly into an enemy's camp, with the meanest motives, and with
intentions as hostile as the nature of the circumstances would permit.

Such was the state of things on Oyster Pond for quite a week after the
nephew had been to look after the effects of the deceased uncle. The
schooner was now quite ready for sea, and her master began to talk of
hauling off from the wharf. It is true, there was no very apparent reason
why this step, preliminary to sailing, should be taken in that port, where
there were so few opportunities for her people's running into excesses;
but it sounded ship-shape, and captain Gardiner had been heard to express
an intention to that effect. The men arrived but slowly from the main, and
something like impatience was manifested by the young commander, who had
long before got all his green hands, or youths from the neighbourhood, on
board, and was gradually breaking them in to the ways of a vessel. Indeed,
the best reason he could give to himself for 'hauling off,'