d the names of the
crew with eagerness, for the man was in his element when adding a new hand
to his frigate's crew.

"Let me see this Nebuchadnezzar Clawbonny, Mr. Wallingford," he said,
chuckling. "The name has an alias in its very absurdity, and I doubt not
I shall see a countryman--perhaps a townsman."

"By turning your head, sir, you can easily see the man. He is at the
wheel."

"A black!--umph--yes; those fellows do sometimes sail under droll titles.
I do not think the lad was born at Gosport."

"He was born in my father's house, sir, and is my slave."

"Slave! A pretty word in the mouth of a free and independent son of
liberty, Mr. Wallingford. It is lucky you are not bound to that land of
despotism, old England, or you might see the fetters fall from about the
chap's limbs."

I was nettled, for I felt there was some justice in this sarcasm, and
this, too, at the very moment I felt it was only half-merited: and not at
all, perhaps, from an Englishman. But Sennit knew as much of the history
of my country as he did of his own, having obtained all he had learned of
either out of newspapers. Nevertheless, I succeeded in keeping silent.

"Nathan Hitchcock; this chap has a suspiciously Yankee name; will you let
me see _him_, sir," observed the lieutenant.

"The chap's name, then, does him no more than justice, for I believe he is
strictly what _we_ call a Yankee."

Nathan came aft at the call of the second-mate, and Sennit no sooner saw
him than he told him to go forward again. It was easy to see that the man
was perfectly able to distinguish, by means of the eye alone, between the
people of the two countries, though the eye would sometimes deceive even
the most practised judges. As the Speedy was not much in want of men, he
was disposed not to lay his hands on any but his own countrymen.

"I shall have to ask you, sir, to muster all your people in the gangway,"
said Sennit, rising, as he passed me the ship's papers. "I am only a
supernumerary of the Speedy, and I expect we shall soon have the pleasure
of seeing her first on board, the Honourable Mr. Powlett. We are a nob
ship, having Lord Harry Dermond for our captain, and lots of younger sons
in the cock-pit."

I cared little who commanded or officered the Speedy, but I felt all the
degradation of submitting to have my crew mustered by a foreign officer,
and this, too, with the avowed object of carrying away such portions of
them as he might see fit to d