“There, Mulford,” growled Spike, pointing ahead of the brig, to an object on the water that was about half a mile ahead of them, “there’s that bloody boat—­d’ye see?  I should like of all things to give it the slip.  There’s a chap in that boat I do n’t like.”

“I do n’t see how that can be very well done, sir, unless we anchor, repass the Gate at the turn of the tide, and go to sea by the way of Sandy Hook.”

“That will never do.  I’ve no wish to be parading the brig before the town.  You see, Mulford, nothing can be more innocent and proper than the Molly Swash, as you know from having sailed in her these twelve months.  You’ll give her that character, I’ll be sworn?”

“I know no harm of her, Capt.  Spike, and hope I never shall.”

“No, sir—­you know no harm of her, nor does any one else.  A nursing infant is not more innocent than the Molly Swash, or could have a clearer character if nothing but truth was said of her.  But the world is so much given to lying, that one of the old saints, of whom we read in the good book, such as Calvin and John Rogers, would be vilified if he lived in these times.  Then, it must be owned, Mr. Mulford, whatever may be the raal innocence of the brig, she has a most desperate wicked look.”

“Why, yes, sir—­it must be owned she is what we sailors call a wicked-looking craft.  But some of Uncle Sam’s cruisers have that appearance, also.”

“I know it—­I know it, sir, and think nothing of looks myself.  Men are often deceived in me, by my looks, which have none of your long-shore softness about ’em, perhaps; but my mother used to say I was one of the most tender-hearted boys she had ever heard spoken of—­like one of the babes in the woods, as it might be.  But mankind go so much by appearances that I do n’t like to trust the brig too much afore their eyes.  Now, should we be seen in the lower bay, waiting for a wind, or for the ebb tide to make, to carry us over the bar, ten to one but some philotropic or other would be off with a complaint to the District Attorney that we looked like a slaver, and have us all fetched up to be tried for our lives as pirates.  No, no—­I like to keep the brig in out-of-the-way places, where she can give no offence to your ’tropics, whether they be philos, or of any other sort.”

“Well, sir, we are to the eastward of the Gate, and all’s safe.  That boat cannot bring us up.”

“You forget, Mr. Mulford, the revenue-craft that steamed up, on the ebb.  That vessel must be off Sands’ Point by this time, and she may hear something to our disparagement from the feller in the boat, and take it into her smoky head to walk us back to town.  I wish we were well to the eastward of that steamer!  But there’s no use in lamentations.  If there is really any danger, it’s some distance ahead yet, thank Heaven!”

“You have no fears of the man who calls himself Jack Tier, Capt.  Spike?”

“None in the world.  That feller, as I remember him, was a little bustlin’ chap that I kept in the cabin, as a sort of steward’s mate.  There was neither good nor harm in him, to the best of my recollection.  But Josh can tell us all about him—­just give Josh a call.”