The Pilot

me as this i

offence should b

kes

arnstable as he sprang from the rocks into the boat, and took his seat by the side of the silent pilot. "Shove off," cried the lieutenant, in tones that his men knew must be obeyed.

er the waves, and in a few seconds were without the point where danger was most to be apprehended. Barnstable had seemingly disregarded the breakers as they passed, but sat s

hooner out of this hard-featured landscape. This is just such a place as one of your sighing lovers would doat on; a little land, a little water, an

hor might hold, and to make soundings sartin. I have lost many a deep-sea, besides hand leads by the dozen, on rocky bottoms; but give me the roadstead where

the officer; "Ned has no

nd whale-boat were again rolling by each other's side. Griffith was no longer reclining on the

tens us with new dangers? I was obeying the signal, but I heard your o

his bids fair to be a night when a man will need a spy-glass to find the moon. But when you hear w

, I trust, or we incur this

not," replied Barnstable, bitterly; "you have the boy w

le clipper, in disguise, out sail an old man-of-war's man in a hard chase

ith your silly nonsense at a time like this? Away into the barge, sir, and if you find him

er the pilot had already preceded him, and, as he sunk, with a

Griffith thinks and feels on the coast o

oung lieutenant made, before he paid the parting compliment

oars was already heard, when the voice of the

ied; "hold wa

mmanding tones of his voice, and turni

d sweep into the offing with as little delay as possible. Keep the ship w

ack and white, to run the Ariel into this feather-bed sort of a place, and I must at least have it by signal or word of mouth from my betters, before my cutwa

the pilot, sternly. "Two hours hence, this heavy swe

, if I knock a plank out of the schooner's bottom, by following your directions, 'twill be a hole

boat, in a voice that was audible: "but it's a hard strai

bottom," said the pilot to himself; "it's worse to

ve that epithet, though he certainly carries the point of duty to the extreme.

which I shall execute it; pull away, boys-the Ariel shall

e, his men spontaneously shouted, and the whale-boat darted away from her

f the frigate. During this period the pilot, in a voice which had lost all the startling fierceness and authority it had manifested in his short dialogue with Barnstable, reques

ed may be hazardous to an Englishman, there are none with us who will betray you. We need y

se?" asked the pilot, in a manner that d

riffith, "yet you have a small bur-r-r in your mouth that would pric

or how he speaks," returned the pilot, coldly, "s

k of scornful irony that crossed the handsome features of the young sailor, as he replied: "True, true, so that he does his duty, as you say, in good

l endeavor to keep you in four fathom

atches the eye of his sergeant at a drill; but you must give her room

was about to attempt extricating from an extremely dangerous situation. Not a syllable was lost on

hannel. I fear it will be the latter to-night, when

eel our way with the

bly to his soliloquizing tone of voice. "I have been both in and out in da

our men of a light draught never know their water; 'tis the deep keel only that finds a channel;-pilot! pilot

ilot sternly, though his quiet manner still remained undisturbed;

ischarge your duty," sa

ilot; "we approach the shi

ehensions of suffering, either by great ignorance or treachery on the part of his companion, smothered

with increasing violence, though her topsails still hung supinely from her yards; the air, which continue

sullen dashing of the sea against the massive bows of the ship, and the shrill whistle of the boatswain's mate as he recalled th

y a dozen battle-lanterns, that were arranged in different parts of the decks, served not only to exhibit faintly

ere distinctly visible, while numerous figures, lying along the lower yards or bending out of the tops, might be dimly

ung men, who, by their similarity of dress, were the equals and companions of Griffith, though his juniors in rank. On the opposite side of the vessel was a larger assemblage of youths, who claimed Mr. Merry as their fellow. Around the capstan three or four figures were stan

ed slowly by the pilot, to the place where he was expected by his veteran commander. The young

not without more difficulty an

" said the captain, "and without him, al

that stood behind him, wrapped to the chin in his coarse pea-jacket, and his face

s a sad mistake-this is not the man I would

f you have not forgotten the day when a very different flag from that emblem of tyranny that now

ht!" exclaimed the

Munson started, as he beheld the calm blue eye that met his gaze, and the composed but pallid coun

though so

touching the other by the arm as he led him aside, he continued, in a lo

though it was soon perceived that their commander had discovered his error, and was satisfied that the proper man had been brought on boa

l eyes were directed toward that mysterious guide, who was to conduct them from a situation already