The Water-Witch or, The Skimmer of the Seas

or the prize I'

wink this

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serve which she believed necessary to her sex and condition. The Patroon studied the countenance of his mistress, and, though half offended by the freedom of the intruder, he had believed it wisest to tolerate his liberties, as the natural excesses of a spirit that had been lately released from the monotony of a sea-life. The

shores of Staten Island, which was the destination of the ferry-boat. Here was the usual anchorage of outward-bound ships, which awaited a change of wind; and it was here, that vessels then, as in our times, were subject to those examinations

f the sloop-of-war. As the former approached, a movement o

ns! is not York-bay wide enough, that you must brush the dust out of the muzzles of the guns of yon lazy ship? If the Queen knew how her money was eaten and drunk, by the idle knaves aboard her, she would s

it was scarcely produced by the agitation of alarm. The near sight of the tall masts, and of the maze of cordage that hung nearly above their heads, however, prevented the change from being noted. A hundred curious eyes were already peeping at them, through the ports, or

rty manner of a seaman. "I kiss my hand to the fair Alida; and the Ald

do, than to make words answer for deeds. A lazy war and a dist

ose, and answered the salutation by a courteous bow. By this time the ferry-boat was nearly past the ship, and the scowl was quitting the

the same time, with all his former indifference, from the hands of the schipper. "Her Majesty should have good service from such a racer, a

he was again brushing along the side of the sloop-of-war. A common complaint against this hardy interference with the regular duty of the boat, was about to break out of the lips of the Alderman a

me, more blue water than hard ground; or is there no empty berth in s

tion, as he was by the coolness with which a mariner of ordinary condition presumed to address an officer who bore so high a commission as his own. He had, how ever, sufficient time to rec

of of which, let a rope be thrown the periagua; we shall treat more at our ease under Her Majesty's pennant. I shall be proud to en

ence;" returned the other, without giving the burgher time to express his thanks for the polite offer of the other. "You have go

f disposed to resent this familiarity, though too anxious to keep the periagua

again. Her Majesty's pennants are long, and when they get foul around the limbs of a thoroughly-bred sea-dog, it passes all

farther than you wish!--But a bold volu

ake our departure, leaving the fly of the pennant well under our lee. Adieu, brave Captain; when you have need of

ish colony, appeared to understand the hazard of his situation. The periagua whirled round on her heel, and the next minute it was bending to the breeze, and dashing through the little waves towards the shore. Three boats left t

of her commanders at the muzzles of his guns." observed the Patroon, so soon as the s

ans or by foul, is a fact clear as a bright star in a cloudless night; and, we

ly eat Her Majesty's bread,"

and yet here is a boat, whose' crew seem d

as it necessarily changed their course, the passengers saw that the cutter to which the stranger alluded was enabled to get within-shore of them; or nearer to the wharf, where they ought to land, than they were themselves. Instead of suffering himself to be led off by a pursuit, that he knew might easily be rendered useless, the officer who commanded this boat cheered his men, and pulled swiftly to the point of debarkation. On the other hand, a second cutter, which had already reached the line

lk-Maid away, we shall lose a little in distance, though I think the

ntleman," the mariner rejoined: "it wou

young officer, in the cutter. "In He

awl, while the swift ferry-boat continued to dash ahead. "We owe her d

r, to venture within an oar's-length of the cutter, or to keep away,-a loss of ground to which he who controlled her movements showed no disposition to submit. The officer arose, and, as the periagua drew

such a party, a man of sent

rs at the end of the wharf, in evident expectation of the arrival of the ferry-boat. At this sight, the schipper shook his head, and looked up in the bold face of his passenger, in a manner to betray how much his mind misgave the result. But the tail mariner maintained his coolness, and began to make merry allusions to the service which he had bra

ong those stepping-stones, with this breeze! No honest boatman loves to see a man stowed in a cruiser's hold, like a thief caged i

down to yon wharf. 'Twould be an ungallant act to treat the dairy-girl with so little ceremony, gentlemen, after the lively foot and quick evolutions she

as gliding down towards the place of landing, running a

o the grave without funeral service, or parish prayers; your dropsy is being water-logged; gout and rheumatism kill like a broken back and loose joints; indigestion is a shifting cargo, with guns ad

tle rock, over which the waves were washing, whence he bounded, from stone to stone, by vigorous efforts,

wharf, the disappointment of the cutter's crew, and the return