their
piscatory skill. They were now more excited than ever, and all had
their hooks in the water, and were waiting eagerly for a bite, when an
exclamation from Captain Corbet roused them.

On turning their heads, and looking in the direction where he was
pointing, they saw a steamboat approaching them. It was coming from
the head of the bay on the New Brunswick side, and had hitherto been
concealed by the projecting cape.

"What's that?" said Bart. "Is it the St. John steamer?"

"No, SIR," said the captain. "She's a man-o'-war steamer--the revenoo
cutter, I do believe."

"How do you know?"

"Why, by her shape."

"She seems to be coming this way."

"Yes, bound to Minas Bay, I s'pose. Wal, wal, wal! strange too,--how
singoolarly calm an onterrified I feel in'ardly. Why, boys, I've seen
the time when the sight of a approachin revenoo vessel would make me
shiver an shake from stem to starn. But now how changed! Such, my
friends, is the mootability of human life!"

The boys looked at the steamer for a few moments, but at length went
back to their fishing. The approaching steamer had nothing in it to
excite curiosity: such an object was too familiar to withdraw their
thoughts from the excitement of their lines and hooks, and the hope
which each had of surpassing the other in the number of catches
animated them to new trials. So they soon forgot all about the
approaching steamer.

But Captain Corbet had nothing else to do, and so, whether it was on
account of his lack of employment, or because of the sake of old
associations, he kept his eyes fixed on the steamer. Time passed on,
and in the space of another half hour she had drawn very near to the
Antelope.

Suddenly Captain Corbet slapped his hand against his thigh.

"Declar, if they ain't a goin to overhaul us!" he cried.

At this the boys all turned again to look at the steamer.

"Declar, if that fellow in the gold hat ain't a squintin at us through
his spy-glass!" cried the captain.

As the boys looked, they saw that the Antelope had become an object of
singular attention and interest to those on board of the steamer. Men
were on the forecastle, others on the main deck, the officers were on
the quarter-deck, and all were earnestly scrutinizing the Antelope.
One of them was looking at her through his glass. The Antelope, as she
lay at anchor, was now turned with her stern towards the steamer, and
her sails flapping idly against the masts.