nd far more are innocent than are guilty of any
acts of violence. Then it became dark soon after these craft were seen,
and night shut them in. An hour after the sun had set, the wind fell to
a light air, that just kept steerage-way on the ship. Fortunately, the
_John_ was not only fast, but she minded her helm, as a light-footed
girl turns in a lively dance. I never was in a better-steering ship,
most especially in moderate weather.

Mr. Marble had the middle watch that night, and, of course, I was on
deck from midnight until four in the morning. It proved misty most of
the watch, and for quite an hour we had a light drizzling rain. The ship
the whole time was close-hauled, carrying royals. As everybody seemed to
have made up his mind to a quiet night, one without any reefing or
furling, most of the watch were sleeping about the decks, or wherever
they could get good quarters, and be least in the way. I do not know
what kept me awake, for lads of my age are apt to get all the sleep they
can; but I believe I was thinking of Clawbonny, and Grace, and Lucy; for
the latter, excellent girl as she was, often crossed my mind in those
days of youth and comparative innocence. Awake I was, and walking in the
weather-gangway, in a sailor's trot. Mr. Marble, he I do believe was
fairly snoozing on the hen-coops, being, like the sails, as one might
say, barely "asleep." At that moment I heard a noise, one familiar to
seamen; that of an oar falling in a boat. So completely was my mind bent
on other and distant scenes, that at first I felt no surprise, as if we
were in a harbor surrounded by craft of various sizes, coming and going
at all hours. But a second thought destroyed this illusion, and I looked
eagerly about me. Directly on our weather-bow, distant, perhaps, a
cable's length, I saw a small sail, and I could distinguish it
sufficiently well to perceive it was a proa. I sang out "Sail ho! and
close aboard!"

Mr. Marble was on his feet in an instant. He afterward told me that when
he opened his eyes, for he admitted this much to me in confidence, they
fell directly on the stranger. He was too much of a seaman to require a
second look in order to ascertain what was to be done. "Keep the ship
away--keep her broad off!" he called out to the man at the wheel. "Lay
the yards square--call all hands, one of you. Captain Robbins, Mr. Kite,
bear a hand up; the bloody proas are aboard us!" The last part of this
call was uttered in a loud