r all your colour, I believe--that yonder chap,
in the outer harbour of this here sea-port is no judge of an anchorage, or
he would drop a kedge mayhap hereaway, in a line with the southern end of
that there small matter of an island, and hauling his ship up to it,
fasten her to the spot with good hempen cables and iron mud-hooks. Now,
look you here, S'ip, at the reason of the matter," he continued, in a
manner which shewed that the little skirmish that had just passed was like
one of those sudden squalls of which they had both seen so many, and which
were usually so soon succeeded by corresponding seasons of calm; "look you
at the whole rationality of what I say. He has come into this anchorage
either for something or for nothing. I suppose you are ready to admit
that. If for nothing, he might have found that much outside, and I'll say
no more about it; but if for something, he could get it off easier,
provided the ship lay hereaway, just where I told you, boy, not a fathom
ahead or astern, than where she is now riding, though the article was no
heavier than a fresh handful of feathers for the captain's pillow. Now, if
you have any thing to gainsay the reason of this, why, I'm ready to hear
it as a reasonable man, and one who has not forgotten his manners in
learning his philosophy."

"S'pose a wind come out fresh here, at nor-west," answered the other,
stretching his brawny arm towards the point of the compass he named, "and
a vessel want to get to sea in a hurry, how you t'ink he get her far
enough up to lay through the weather reach? Ha! you answer me dat; you
great scholar, misser Dick, but you never see ship go in wind's teeth, or
hear a monkey talk."

"The black is right!" exclaimed the youth, who, it would seem, had
overheard the dispute, while he appeared otherwise engaged; "the slaver
has left his vessel in the outer harbour, knowing that the wind holds so
much to the westward at this season of the year; and then you see he
keeps his light spars aloft, although it is plain enough, by the manner in
which his sails are furled, that he is strong-handed Can you make out,
boys, whether he has an anchor under foot, or is he merely riding by a
single cable?"

"The man must be a driveller, to lie in such a tides-way, without dropping
his stream, or at least a kedge, to steady the ship," returned the white,
with out appearing to think any thing more than the received practice of
seamen necessary to decide the point.