a stout hickory stick
in his hand, and without seating himself, seized the tiller, and with a
tremendous oath, ordered us to shove off.

Away we went in full chase after the swiftly-receding boat, my young
shipmate and myself bending our backs to the work with all the strength
and skill of which we were master, while Stetson stood erect in the
stern seats, at one time shaking his stick at the affrighted men, and
hurling at their heads volleys of curses both loud and deep, at another,
urging and encouraging us to pull harder, or cursing us in turn because
we did not gain on the chase. The fugitives were dreadfully alarmed.
They pulled for their lives; and the terror stamped on their visages
would have been ludicrous, had we not known that if we came up with the
chase a contest would take place that might be attended with serious,
perhaps fatal, results.

The shore boat had a good start, which gave it an unfair advantage, and
being propelled by two vigorous MEN, obeying an instinctive impulse to
escape from an impending danger, kept about the same distance ahead.
They steered for Long Wharf the nearest route to TERRA FIRMA passed the
steps on the north side, and pulled alongside a schooner which was lying
near the T, clambered to her decks, leaving the boat to her fate, nimbly
leaped ashore, took to their heels, and commenced a race up the wharf as
if the avenger of blood was upon their tracks!

Stetson steered the boat directly for the steps, up which he hastily
ascended, and ordered me to follow. As we rounded the corner of the
adjoining store, we beheld the fugitives leaving us at a pace which no
sailor could expect to equal. The man who had particularly excited the
wrath of the mate took the lead, and cut a conspicuous figure with his
single coat-tail sticking out behind him horizontally like the leg of a
loon!

The mate, seeing the hopelessness of further pursuit, suddenly stopped,
and contented himself with shaking his cudgel at the runaways, and
muttering between his teeth, "Run, you blackguards, run!"

And run they did, until they turned down India Street, and were lost to
sight.

In a day or two after the occurrence above described, the ship Packet
started on her voyage to Liverpool. She was a noble ship, well found and
furnished in every respect, and, setting aside the uncertain temper and
eccentricities of the chief mate, well officered and manned.

When we passed Boston light house with a fresh norther