The Sea-Witch

coast of Africa, the "Sea Witch" was occupied in running in towards the land and exchanging signals with friends on shore, and then standing off a

strove with all that power of persuasion and delicacy of tact peculiar to her sex, to point out to t

ment to her, was only too ready and willing to grant her the fullest accordance in what she asked or argued, for though he dared not to say so, yet he felt that already he loved the mild yet eloquent and lovely girl with a devotion

to her mother, but indeed to herself. The tones of his voice came over her heart like the memory of music that we have heard at some distant time, and in some forgotten place; his eyes betrayed to her the love he dared not speak, and when she did pause to c

deck for a long while, watching the conversation going on between the ship and the shore by mea

n? We have been in the vicinity of the shore

ery good quarters at first, but you shall find conveyance to

r much kindness, sir," s

endered it imperative for me to approach the coast

gaged in such a trade. Ah, sir, why not turn your talents to a more fitting purpo

old my position in a very different light from wha

s the frank rejoinder of the mother, as she extende

lready so dear to me that I would relinquish all things for her, that face, so friendly in its expression now, would be suffused with disdain and scorn. No, no! such a fate is not in

the vessel gradually crept shoreward with the oncoming of nigh

ards the shore. But a few moments elapsed before Capt. Ratlin and his two passengers, with such articles as they had brought on board, were skimming over the short space between the ship and the shore, propelled by a half-dozen stout rowers. It had already been explained to t

he rear of the house was a spacious barracoon, where the slaves were collected and kept for shipment, and where they were plentifully supplied with rice and vegetables, with salt meats, and the means of doing their own cooking. All these things the new corners noted at once, and indeed were very curiou

s precious and whose business required despatch. Mrs. Huntington gathered enough from their open and undisguised talk to learn, that as there was not a sufficient number of negroes at the present moment on hand, that the "Sea Witch," with her light draft of water, must be run up a neighboring river and be there moored away from the pry

ey soon learned that this was not Captain Ratlin's first visit to the coast, and that her father, as well as herself, considered him the finest seaman and gentleman in the coast trade. It was impossible not to see with what feeling Maud the Quadroon

admiration in the enthusiastic girl's remarks about the young commander, and the moth

iendly to you, I suppose,

, and that is the same th

presents across the ocea

sleeve, and discovering to her new-made friends a rich gold

d beautiful,"

ound herself musing and asking within her own mind whether such a being could make him happy as a wife. She felt that he was worthy of better companionship, and that, notwithstanding Maud evidently loved him, he could hardly entertain any peculia

e of the first officer, Mr. Faulkner, and returned once more to the seaboard and the establishment of Don Leonardo. Here it would be necessary for him to remain for a week or more, while the Spaniard sent his runners inland to the chiefs of the various coast tribes to forward the prisoners of war

le her daughter did so under the disguise of indifference, but with the most intense interest. Not a word, look, or sign betwe

for she saw the deep feeling evinced by the young commander towards the fairest of the two; she heard a strange charm in the tone of his voice when he addressed the daughter, and at such moments Mrs. Huntington mor

fety, as they were in one sense completely in his power. But as it regarded the idea of her daughter's entertaining any affection for him, or seriously considering his advances, the idea could not for a moment enter her head. She did not at ill consider that there was any danger o

estioned delicacy and consideration; he had never uttered the first syllable to her that he might not properly have used before her mother-indeed, he had not the boldness or effrontery to urge a suit that he knew was out of the question, and

to have acknowledged it, yet she did love him, and the poor untutored Quadroon girl read the fact that the mother could not, with all her cultivation and knowledge of the world, de

iness point of view with him, he had given a present to his daughter, and had endeavored to make himself agreeable to her at all times, but never for one moment with a serious thought of any degree of intimacy, save of the most public and ordin

ding upon it greedily, while its baleful effect was d