he change occurred at midnight, and
there was every prospect of the wind's standing until it shoved us into
the chops of the channel, from which we were then distant about four
hundred miles, according to my own calculation. Marble had the watch at
four o'clock, and he sent for me, that I might decide on the course to be
steered and the sail to be carried. The course was N. N. East; but, as for
the sail, I determined to stand on under our top-sails and fore-course,
spanker and jib, until I could get a look by daylight. When the sun was
fairly up, there was no change, and I gave orders to get along some of the
larger studding-sails, and to set the main-top-gallant sail, having my
doubts whether the spars would bear any more canvass, under the stiff
breeze that was blowing.

"This is no great distance from the spot where we surprised the Lady of
Nantes, Captain Wallingford," Marble observed to me, as I stood
overlooking the process of bending a fore-top-mast studding-sail, in which
he was engaged with his own hands; "nor was the weather any thicker then
than it is now, though that was a haze, and this is a mist."

"You are out of your longitude a few hundred miles, Master Moses, but the
comparison is well enough, otherwise. We have twice the wind and sea we
had then, moreover, and that was dry weather, while this is, to speak more
gingerly, a little moist."

"Ay, ay, sir; there is just that difference. Them were pleasant days,
Captain Wallingford--I say nothing ag'in these--but them 'ere _were_
pleasant times, as all in the Crisis must allow."

"Perhaps we shall think the same of these some five or six years hence."

"Well, that's natur', I must confess. It's amazing how the last v'yge
hangs in a man's memory, and how little we think of the present! I suppose
the Lord made us all of this disposition, for it's sartain we all manifest
it. Come, bear a hand Neb, on that fore-yard, and let us see the length of
the stun-sail boom."

But, Neb, contrary to his habits, stood upright on the yard, holding on by
the lift, and looking over the weather leach of the top-sail, apparently at
some object that either was just then visible, or which had just before
been visible.

"What is it?" cried Marble, struck with the black's attitude and manner.
"What d'ye see?"

"I don't see him now, sir; nuttin' now; but dere _was_ a ship."

"Where-away?" I demanded.

"Off, here, Masser Mile--larboard bow, well forrard; look sharp and soo