According to the account of Master Cap, the wind had died away to a calm about midnight, or just as he was thinking of heaving-to, to sound, for islands ahead were beginning to be seen.  At one A.M. it began to blow from the north-east, accompanied by a drizzle, and he stood off to the northward and westward, knowing that the coast of New York lay in the opposite direction.  At half-past one he stowed the flying-jib, reefed the mainsail, and took the bonnet off the jib.  At two he was compelled to get a second reef aft; and by half-past two he had put a balance-reef in the sail, and was lying-to.

“I can’t say but the boat behaves well, Sergeant,” the old sailor added, “but it blows forty-two pounders.  I had no idea there were any such currents of air up here on this bit of fresh water, though I care not the knotting of a yarn for it, as your lake has now somewhat of a natural look; and if this d——­d water had a savor of salt about it, one might be comfortable.”

“How long have you been heading in this direction, brother Cap?” inquired the prudent soldier; “and at what rate may we be going through the water?”

“Why, two or three hours, mayhap, and she went like a horse for the first pair of them.  Oh, we’ve a fine offing now! for, to own the truth, little relishing the neighborhood of them said islands, although they are to windward, I took the helm myself, and run her off free for some league or two.  We are well to leeward of them, I’ll engage — I say to leeward; for though one might wish to be well to windward of one island, or even half a dozen, when it comes to a thousand, the better way is to give it up at once, and to slide down under their lee as fast as possible.  No, no; there they are up yonder in the dingle; and there they may stay, for anything Charles Cap cares.”

“As the north shore lies only some five or six leagues from us, brother, and I know there is a large bay in that quarter, might it not be well to consult some of the crew concerning our position, if, indeed, we do not call up Jasper Eau-douce, and tell him to carry us back to Oswego?  For it is quite impossible we should ever reach the station with this wind directly in our teeth.”

“There are several serious professional reasons, Sergeant, against all your propositions.  In the first place, an admission of ignorance on the part of a commander would destroy discipline.  No matter, brother; I understand your shake of the head, but nothing capsizes discipline so much as to confess ignorance.  I once knew a master of a vessel who went a week on a wrong course rather than allow he had made a mistake; and it was surprising how much he rose in the opinions of his people, just because they could not understand him.”

“That may do on salt water, brother Cap, but it will hardly do on fresh.  Rather than wreck my command on the Canada shore, I shall feel it a duty to take Jasper out of arrest.”