clear of the wharf, and that in a way which might have attracted notice in any suspicious and attentive observer.  It is possible that such a one was not very distant, and that Spike was aware of his presence, for a respectable-looking, well-dressed, middle-aged man had come down one of the adjacent streets, to a spot within a hundred yards of the wharf, and stood silently watching the movements of the brig, as he leaned against a fence.  The want of houses in that quarter enabled any person to see this stranger from the deck of the Swash, but no one on board her seemed to regard him at all, unless it might be the master.

“Come, bear a hand, my hearty, and toss that bow-fast clear,” cried the captain, whose impatience to be off seemed to increase as the time to do so approached nearer and nearer.  “Off with it, at once, and let her go.”

The man on the wharf threw the turns of the hawser clear of the post, and the Swash was released forward.  A smaller line, for a spring, had been run some distance along the wharves, ahead of the vessel, and brought in aft.  Her people clapped on this, and gave way to their craft, which, being comparatively light, was easily moved, and was very manageable.  As this was done, the distant spectator who had been leaning on the fence moved toward the wharf with a step a little quicker than common.  Almost at the same instant, a short, stout, sailor-like looking little person, waddled down the nearest street, seeming to be in somewhat of a hurry, and presently he joined the other stranger, and appeared to enter into conversation with him; pointing toward the Swash as he did so.  All this time, both continued to advance toward the wharf.

In the meanwhile, Spike and his people were not idle.  The tide did not run very strong near the wharves and in the sort of a bight in which the vessel had lain; but, such as it was, it soon took the brig on her inner bow, and began to cast her head off shore.  The people at the spring pulled away with all their force, and got sufficient motion on their vessel to overcome the tide, and to give the rudder an influence.  The latter was put hard a-starboard, and helped to cast the brig’s head to the southward.

Down to this moment, the only sail that was loose on board the Swash was the fore-topsail, as mentioned.  This still hung in the gear, but a hand had been sent aloft to overhaul the buntlines and clewlines, and men were also at the sheets.  In a minute the sail was ready for hoisting.  The Swash carried a wapper of a fore-and-aft mainsail, and, what is more, it was fitted with a standing gaff, for appearance in port.  At sea, Spike knew better than to trust to this arrangement; but in fine weather, and close in with the land, he found it convenient to have this sail haul out and brail like a ship’s spanker.  As the gaff was now aloft, it was only necessary to let go the brails to loosen this broad sheet of canvas, and to clap on the out-hauler, to set it.  This was probably the reason why the brig was so unceremoniously cast into the stream, without showing more of her cloth.  The jib and flying-jibs, however, did at that moment drop beneath their booms, ready for hoisting.