“Rather puffy, and twice I thought it would haul right about, but here we have it still from the north’rd and east’rd,” replied the captain.

“Here it is again,” added the mate, as the wind hauled once more.

The immediate object of the change in the vessel’s rig, which we have described, was at once apparent, enabling the vessel to lie nearer the wind in her course, as well its giving her increased velocity by bringing more canvass to draw than a square rig could do when close hauled.  But a shrewd observer would have been led to ask, what other reason, save that of disguise, could have been the actuating motive in thus giving to the “Sea Witch” a double character in her rig?  For though temporary and somewhat important advantage could at times be thus gained, as we have seen, yet such an object alone would not have warranted the increased outlay that was necessarily incurred, to say nothing of the imperative necessity of a vessel’s being very strongly manned in order to enable her to thus change her entire aspect with any ordinary degree of celerity, and as had just been accomplished.

CHAPTER II.

Captain will Ratlin.

The watch below, after completing the work which had summoned them for the time being on deck, tumbled helter-skelter down the fore hatch once more, and left on the deck of the “Sea Witch” about a dozen able seamen who formed the watch upon deck.  A number of these were now gathered in a knot on the forecastle, and while they were sitting cross-legged, picking old rope, and preparing it in suitable form for caulking the ship’s seams, one of their number was spinning a yarn, the hero of which was evidently him who now filled the post of commander on board their vessel.  The object of their remarks, meanwhile, stood once more quietly leaning over the monkey-rail on the weather side of the quarter-deck, quite unconscious that he was supplying a theme of entertainment to the forecastle.

There was an absent expression in his handsome face, a look as though his heart was far distant from the scene about him, and yet a habit of watchful caution seemed ever and anon to recall his senses, and his quick, keen glance would run over the craft from stem to stern with a searching and comprehensive power that showed him master of his profession, and worthy his trust.  Trust?—­what was the trust he held?  Surely, no legitimate commerce could warrant the outfit of such a vessel as he controlled.  A man-of-war could hardly have been more fully equipped with means of offence and defence.  Amidship, beneath that long boat, was a long, heavy metalled gun that worked on a traverse, and which could command nearly every point of the compass, while the ship kept her course.  Just inside the rise of the low quarter-deck—­the cabin being entered from the deck by the descent of a couple of steps—­there were ranged boarding pikes, muskets, cutlasses and pistols, ready for instant use.  In shape they formed stars, hearts and diamonds, dangerous but fantastic ornaments.