rse side of the picture was at hand, and now he
paused to ask himself seriously: "Can this be? Who am I? a poor unknown
sailor, fortuneless, friendless, nameless. Who is she? a lady of refined
cultivation, high family, wealth, and beauty. Is it likely that two such
persons as I have considered should be joined by intimate friendship?
can such barriers as these be broken down by love? Alas, I am not so
blind, so foolish, so unreasonable, as to believe it for a moment." So
once more the heart of the young commander was heavy within his breast.

In the mean time Captain Bramble had found an opportunity that afternoon
to see Maud, and to learn from her that Captain Ratlin almost always
slept on board his ship, departing soon after dark for the spot through
the jungle. Satisfied of this, Capt. Bramble once more proceeded to make
his arrangements, for to have seized the vessel without her commander on
board would have been to perform but half the business he had laid out
for the night's engagement. But all seemed now propitious, and he
awaited the darkness with impatience, when he might disembark a couple
of boat loads of sailors and marines, and with the Quadroon for guide
follow the path through the jungle to where the "Sea Witch" lay.

"Why do you muse so long and lonely, my child?" asked Mr. Huntington of
her daughter that afternoon, as she came in and surprised her gazing out
at a window vacantly.

"O, I hardly know, dear mother. I was thinking over our strange fortune
since we left Calcutta, the wreck, the nights in the boat, and our
fortunate rescue."

"Fortunate, my dear? I don't exactly know about that. Here we have been
confined at this slave factory, little better than the slaves
themselves, these four weeks."

"Well, mother, Captain Bramble says he shall sail soon, and then we can
go round to Sierra Leone, and from thence take passage direct for
England."

"For my part I can't understand why Capt. Bramble insists upon staying
here so long. He don't seem to be doing anything, and he came into the
harbor by chance."

"He says that business and duty, which he cannot explain, detain him
here, but that he will soon leave, of which he will give us due notice."

"Heaven hasten the period!" said the mother, impatiently; "for I am most
heartily tired and worn out with the strange life we lead here."

This conversation will explain to the reader in part, the reason why
Mrs. Huntington and her daughter, English sub