t information reached me, and seein'
a sogers' boat gettin' ready, and the sogers running about the
water-battery of the fort, than I just slips the cable, and runs
out to sea like a bird; and, Lord love ye, sir! the way they pitched
round shot arter us was--was--" Here Master Gibbs paused for a
simile, and the captain observed with a hacking, cough-like laugh,

"You saved the water-casks, though?"

"Why no, sir; and we was forced to go upon a 'lowance of a pint a water
a man!"

"Ho!" rejoined the listener. "Capital! Didn't suffer, I hope? Go on."

"Howsomever, I says to myself, the captain wants a good valy'ble cargo,
and so we beats up again and stretches away back along the coast of
Jamaiky, on the look-out for any think that might be comin' that 'ere
way. Well, sir, d'ye see, airly one morning, as we was a lying as close
as wax under the land, we spies a big brig becalmed off to seaward; but
we diskivered at the same time that same Yankee cruiser as was in chase
of us off Matanzas. I know'd as how you would be displeased at any risks
being run, so we keeps clean and snug inshore, under a pint o' land,
till set of sun, and until arter the moon went down. Then the breeze
sprung up fresh from the old trade quarter, and says I, now we'll make a
dash at that 'ere drogher, and squeeze him as dry as bone-dust; more
pertikerly, ye see, captain, since the corvette, arter dodgin' about him
all day, had yawed off, and, with his port-tacks aboard, was beatin' to
wind'ard."

Here Mr. Gibbs's auditor took the cigar from his mouth and rolled his
light blue eyes at him, puffed a thick volume of smoke through the
corner of his mouth, but said never a syllable.

The narrator gave a wistful look at the brandy-flask, drained the last
few drops from the coffee-cup, pushed out his timber leg, and resumed:

"So you see, sir, as I was a sayin', I says to myself, I'll get the boat
in the water with the lads, and, to make sure of all being conducted
shipshape, I'll go myself."

"Oh!" said the captain, as his eyebrows went up and the corners of his
mouth came down, with the faintest breath of a sardonic smile, while he
lit a fresh cigar, "oh! you did!"

"Ay, sir! So we let the old drogher go bouncing on past us, at about the
rate of five mile in four hours, when we crossed his wake under the jib,
and then we ups with the fore and main-sail, got a pull of the sheets,
and--"

Captain Brand shook the point of his curved nose at the s