Conspicuous among those gathered on the wharf was a diminutive little dandy, with an olive-colored frock-coat, black pants, embroidered vest, and an enormous shirt-collar that endangered his ears.  This was secured around the neck with a fancy neckcloth, very tastefully set off with a diamond pin, He was very slender, with a narrow, feminine face, round popeyes—­requiring the application of a pocket-glass every few minutes—­and very fair complexion, with little positive expression of character in his features.  His nose was pointed; his chin, projected and covered with innumerable little pimples, gave an irregular and mastiff-shaped mouth a peculiar expression.  He wore a very highly-polished and high-heeled pair of boots, and a broad-brimmed, silk-smooth hat.  He seemed very anxious to display the beauty of two diamond rings that glittered upon his delicate little fingers, made more conspicuous by the wristbands of his shirt.  Standing in a very conspicuous place upon the capsill of the wharf, he would rub his hands, then running from one part of the wharf to another, ordering sundry niggers about making fast the lines, kicking one, and slapping another, as he stooped, with his little hand.  All paid respect to him.  The Captain viewed him with a smile of curiosity, as much as to say, “What important specimen of a miss in breeches is that?” But when the little fellow spoke, the secret was told.  He gathered the inflections of his voice, as if he were rolling them over the little end of a thunderbolt in his mouth.  As the vessel touched the wharf, he sprang to the corner and cried out at the top of his voice, “Yer’ welcome to Charleston, Captain Thompson!  Where did you get that knocking?—­where are ye bound for?—­how many days are you out?—­how long has she leaked in that way?” and a strain of such questions, which it would be impossible to trace, such was the rapidity with which he put them.  The Captain answered him in accordance with the circumstances; and supposing him clothed with authority, inquired where he should find some hands to work his pumps, in order to relieve his men.  “By-Je-w-hu!  Captain, you must a’ had a piping time, old feller.  Oh! yes, you want help to work your pumps.  Get niggers, Captain, there’s lots on ’em about here.  They’re as thick as grasshoppers in a cotton-patch.”

“Yes, but I want ’em now, my men are worn out; I must get some Irishmen, if I can’t get others at once,” said the Captain, viewing his man again from head to foot.

“Oh! don’t employ Paddies, Captain; ’ta’n’t popular; they don’t belong to the secession party; Charleston’s overrun with them and the Dutch!  Why, she won’t hurt to lay till to-morrow morning, and there’ll be lots o’ niggers down; they can’t be out after bell-ring without a pass, and its difficult to find their masters after dark.  Haul her up ’till she grounds, and she won’t leak when the tide leaves her.  We can go to the theatre and have a right good supper