ger. During the
conversation that now took place, the vessels gradually drew nearer to
each other, until both parties laid aside their trumpets, and carried on
the discourse with the unaided voice.

"Schooner, ahoy!" was the greeting of the stranger, and a simple "Hilloa!"
the answer.

"What schooner is that, pray?"

"The Sea Lion, of Oyster Pond, Long Island; bound to the southward, after
seal, as I suppose you know by our outfit."

"When did you leave Oyster Pond--and how did you leave your owner, the
good Deacon Pratt?"

"We sailed yesterday afternoon, on the first of the ebb, and the deacon
left us as we weighed anchor. He was well, and full of hope for our luck.
What schooner is that, pray?"

"The Sea Lion, of Hum'ses Hull; bound to the southward, after seals, as
you probably knew by _our_ outfit. Who commands that schooner?"

"Captain Roswell Gar'ner--who commands aboard you, pray?"

"Captain Jason Daggett," showing himself more plainly, by moving out of
the line of the main-rigging. "I had the pleasure of seeing you when I was
on the P'int, looking after my uncle's dunnage, you may remember, Captain
Gar'ner. 'T was but the other day, and you are not likely to have
forgotten my visit."

"Not at all, not at all, Captain Daggett; though I had no idea, _then_,
that you intended to make a voyage to the southward so soon. When did you
leave the Hole, sir?"

"Day before yesterday, afternoon. We came out of the Hull about five
o'clock."

"How had you the wind, sir?"

"Sou'-west, and sou'-west and by south. There has been but little change
in that, these three days."

Roswell Gardiner muttered something to himself; but he did not deem it
prudent to utter the thoughts, that were just then passing through his
mind, aloud.

"Ay, ay," he answered, after a moment's pause, "the wind has stood there
the whole week; but I think we shall shortly get a change. There is an
easterly feeling in the air."

"Waal, let it come. With this offing, we could clear Hatteras with
anything that wasn't worse than a south-easter. There's a southerly set,
in here, down the coast, for two or three hundred miles."

"A heavy south-easter would jam us in, here, between the shoals, in a way
I shouldn't greatly relish, sir. I like always to get to the eastward of
the Stream, as soon as I can, in running off the land."

"Very true, Captain Gar'ner--very true, sir. It _is_ best to get outside
the Stream, if a body _can_. Once there,